HB 5167 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISCLOSURE OF WATER QUALITY TEST RESULTS FOR CERTAIN PRIVATE AND SEMIPUBLIC WELLS.

House of Representatives General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

516724 February Session, 2026 LCOHouse Bill No.

11255167 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, March 16, 2026 The Committee on PUBLICPublic HEALTHHealth Introducedreported by:through REP.

(PH)MCCARTHY ANVAHEY ACTof CONCERNINGthe THE133rd DISCLOSUREDist., OFChairperson WATERof QUALITYthe TESTCommittee RESULTSon FORthe CERTAINpart PRIVATEof ANDthe SEMIPUBLICHouse, WELLS.that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISCLOSURE OF WATER QUALITY TEST RESULTS FOR CERTAIN PRIVATE AND SEMIPUBLIC WELLS.

Results submitted to the Department of Public Health or the local health authority pursuant to this subsection, information obtained from any Department of Public Health or local health authority investigation regarding those results and any Department of Public Health or local health authority study of morbidity and mortality regarding the results shallHB5167 be/ confidentialFile pursuant to section 19a-25, except the local health LCO 1125 1 of 2 Raised Bill No.

516724 authority1 andHB5167 theFile departmentNo. may [, if approved by the commissioner,] disclose the results or information obtained from an investigation of the results to (A) the owner of the property on which the well is located, the owner of any other property that obtains water from the well, and the owner of each property that is adjacent to the property on which the well is located or to any other property that obtains water from the well, (B) a prospective buyer of such property who has signed a contract to purchase such property, (C) other persons or entities, when such disclosure is necessary to carry out a statutory or regulatory responsibility of the local health authority or department, [or] and (D) an agent of a state agency.

24 shall be confidential pursuant to section 19a-25, except the local health authority and the department may [, if approved by the commissioner,] disclose the results or information obtained from an investigation of the results to (A) the owner of the property on which the well is located, the owner of any other property that obtains water from the well, and the owner of each property that is adjacent to the property on which the well is located or to any other property that obtains water from the well, (B) a prospective buyer of such property who has signed a contract to purchase such property, (C) other persons or entities, when such disclosure is necessary to carry out a statutory or regulatory responsibility of the local health authority or department, [or] and (D) an agent of a state agency.

Section 1 October 1, 2026 19a-37(c)(1) PH Joint Favorable LCOHB5167 1125/ 2File ofNo. 2

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24 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The billmakesproceduralchangesregarding thedisclosure ofcertain water quality test results, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

HB5167 / File No.

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24 OLR Bill Analysis HB 5167 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISCLOSURE OF WATER QUALITY TEST RESULTS FOR CERTAIN PRIVATE AND SEMIPUBLIC WELLS.

SUMMARY This bill removes the requirement for the Department of Public Health (DPH) commissioner’s approval before health authorities can disclose private residential or semipublic well testing results to certain parties, and expands the allowable recipients of the test results.

More specifically, the law requires an environmental laboratory that conducts water quality testing for these wells to report the results to DPH and the local health authority.

Current law allows DPH and the local health authority, with the DPH commissioner’s approval, to disclose the test results or related investigation information to certain parties.

The bill eliminates the requirement for the commissioner’s approval, and expands the allowable parties to include the owner of (1) any other property that obtains water from the well or (2) any property nexttotheproperty (a)wherethewellislocatedor (b)thatobtainswater from the well.

Under existing law, DPH and the local health authority (currently, only with the commissioner’s approval) may also disclose the test results or investigation information to the following:

1.

the property owner, 2.

a prospective buyer who has signed a purchase contract, 3.

a state agency’s agent, or 4.

other people or entities when disclosure is needed for DPH or the HB5167 / File No.

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24 local health authority to carry out their duties.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2026 COMMITTEE ACTION Public Health Committee Joint Favorable Yea 31 Nay 0 (03/02/2026) HB5167 / File No.

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