HB 5145 — AN ACT REQUIRING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY COMMISSION TO REPORT ON THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR CERTAIN WATER COMPANIES THAT REQUEST TO CEASE OPERATIONS.

General Assembly Substitute House Bill No.

5145 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2026No. AN ACT CONCERNING THE PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN WATER COMPANIES REQUESTING TO CEASE OPERATIONS OR DISCONTINUE THE PROVISION OF WATER SERVICE.

26-123 AN ACT REQUIRING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY COMMISSION TO REPORT ON THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR CERTAIN WATER COMPANIES THAT REQUEST TO CEASE OPERATIONS.

Subsection(Effective (a)from passage) Not later than January 15, 2027, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 16-4611-4a of the general statutesstatutes, isto repealedthe andthefollowingjoint issubstitutedstanding inlieuthereof(EffectiveOctobercommittees 1,of 2026):the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, public health and energy.

(a)Such Noreport public service company shall ceaseinclude operations as a publiclisting serviceof company,each dissolveinstance, orin terminate its corporate existence without the consentmost ofrecent thetwo Publiccalendar Utilitiesyears, Regulatoryin Authority,which except a water company, as defined in section 16-262n,16-262n asof amendedthe bygeneral thisstatutes, act,submitted that (1) has failed to comply with an orderapplication issuedfor pursuantconsent to section 16-11, 25- 32, 25-33 or 25-34, concerning the availability or potability of water or the provisionauthority of water at adequate volume and pressure, or (2)department the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has determined does not possess economic viability pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16-262n, shall not cease its operations,operations or unilaterally discontinue the provision of water service to customers withoutpursuant to the consentprovisions of bothsection the16-46 Publicof Utilitiesthe Regulatorygeneral Authoritystatutes, andas theamended Departmentby ofthis Publicact. Health.

UponSuch receiptreport ofshall include (1) a requestdocket fromtimeline afor watereach companysuch toapplication ceasethat itsspecifies operationsthe dates of any docket activity, (2) a list of any documents or discontinueother materials upon which the provisionauthority ofrelied in rendering a decision on such application, including, but not limited to, responses to interrogatories, water service,quality thereports Publicand Utilitieswritten LCOtestimony, 1and of(3) 3any other details concerning the Substitute House Bill No.

5145 Regulatoryprocessing Authority, in conjunction with the Department of Publicsuch Health,application shallthat hold a public hearing and issue a final decision setting forth the actionsauthority thedeems waterappropriate company shall take to ensureinclude a continuous supply of potable water at adequate volume and pressures, in accordancesuch withreport. the procedures and criteria set forth in sections 16-262n to 16-262q, inclusive, as amended by this act.

SubsectionSection (c)16-46 of section 16-262n of the general statutes is repealedamended andthefollowingby issubstitutedadding inlieuthereof(EffectiveOctobersubsection 1,(c) 2026):as follows (Effective from passage):

(NEW) (c) WheneverNot anylater waterthan companyJuly fails1, to2026, comply with an order issued pursuant to section 16-11, 25-32, 25-33 or 25-34, concerning the availability or potability of water or the provision of water at adequate volume and pressure, or if the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority determinesshallinitiate a waterdocket companyfor doesthepurpose notofadopting possessregulations, economicin viabilityaccordance pursuantwith to subsection (b) of this section, the Publicprovisions Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Department of Publicchapter Health54, and,requiring whenthat, itsin participationany isnotice required, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, may, [or following a requestproceeding fromconducted a water company filed pursuant to this section 16-46,that shall,]is afterissued noticeby tothe publicauthority, and private water companies, municipal utilities furnishing water service, municipalities or other appropriate governmental agencies in the serviceauthority areashall ofprovide thewritten waterinstructions company,that conductinform a hearingwater incompany accordance with the provisions of sections 4-176e, 4-177, 4-177c and 4-180 to determine the actionsprocess thatwhereby maysuch becompany taken and the expenditures that may berequest required,an includingexpedited thereview acquisition of the water company by a suitablerequest publicmade orpursuant private entity, to assurethis thesection. availability and potability of water and the provision of water at adequate volume and pressure to the persons served by the water company at a reasonable cost.

ThisGovernor's actAction: shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

SectionApproved 1June October2, 1, 2026 16-46(a)Public Sec.Act No.

226-123 October 1, 2026 16-262n(c) LCO 2 of 32 Substitute Bill No.

5145 CE Joint Favorable Subst.

PH Joint Favorable LCO 3 of 3