AB 1060

Under current law, if approved by the Public Service Commission, a water

public utility may provide financial assistance, defined as a grant, loan, or a

combination thereof, to the owner of property to which water utility service is

provided (water customer) for the purpose of assisting the water customer in

replacing customer-side water service lines containing lead if 1) the city, town, or

village has enacted an ordinance permitting the water public utility to do so and

requiring water customers to replace any customer-side water service lines

containing lead, and 2) the utility-side water service line and the water main pipe

that are connected to the customer-side water service line do not contain lead or the

lead-containing portion of that line or pipe is replaced at the same time as the

customer-side water service line is replaced.

This bill specifies that “financial assistance” under this program is funded from

utility rates. Also under the bill, a utility may, without PSC approval, administer a

municipal program to assist water customers in complying with a city, village, or

town ordinance requiring the replacement of customer-side water service lines

containing lead and to provide municipal grants or loans to water customers for that

purpose, provided the utility does not give financial assistance to water customers

under the program.

Under the bill, if a political subdivision makes a loan to an owner of a premises

for the purpose of replacing customer-side water service lines and collects the

amounts due under the loan as a special charge, the political subdivision must

provide the owner of the premises with an annual notice that includes 1) the loan

term, 2) the current year for which the property owner is paying the special charge

and the amount owed for that year, and 3) the current loan balance.