LIMIT FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS OF

LAWN SPRINKLER BACKFLOW PREVENTERS

House Bills 5317 & 5318

Sponsor:  Rep. Michael D. McCready

Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Complete to 5-5-14

A REVISED SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5317 & 5318 AS INTRODUCED 2-12-2014

House Bill 5317 would amend Section 5 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (MCL 325.1005) by adding Section 5(4), which would prohibit any rules or guidelines from being issued that would require the testing of a backflow preventer on a residential lawn sprinkler system more often than once every three years after initial installation and testing, unless the sprinkler system had undergone repair since the time of its last testing, or if the system included a chemical injection system.

House Bill 5318 would amend the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (MCL 125.1501-125.1531) by adding subsection 13G. Under that act, local water utilities are required to develop a comprehensive control program for the elimination and prevention of all cross connections. Before such a plan can be approved by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, it must include, among other things, a time schedule for the testing of all testable backflow preventers on residential lawn sprinkler systems. HB 5318 would require that the time schedule be developed in accordance with the testing frequency that would set under HB 5317.

FISCAL IMPACT:

House Bill 5317 would have no significant fiscal impact on the Department of Environmental Quality. 

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Josh Roesner

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Viola Bay Wild

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.