AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- UNIFORM SEPTAGE DISPOSAL FEE

SB 642 establishes a $0.15 fee per 10,000 gallons of wastewater effluent discharged by treatment facilities across Rhode Island. This fee applies to all wastewater treatment facilities (not individual households) and begins July 1, 2025. Revenue from the fee will fund the Bays, Rivers and Watersheds Fund, which supports environmental projects like watershed management, marine monitoring, and climate resilience initiatives. The bill expands the fund's revenue sources beyond previous septage-specific fees to include wastewater disposal.