Manley Passes Bill to Streamline Water Disruption Notification

JOLIET, Ill. — As part of her ongoing commitment to public safety, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, passed a bill to increase the preparedness of health care facilities during water disruption events.

“In a health care setting, access to water helps to ensure a clean environment where health care professionals can focus on treating illness and saving lives,” said Manley. “Health care facilities must prepare for disruptions in the water supply to do their jobs and adequately care for their patients.”

House Bill 4988 requires water supply operators to notify health care facilities 15 to 30 days before any known water disruption event, and within two hours of being aware of an unplanned disruption event. This bill ensures hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other health care facilities have advanced knowledge of water disruption events so they can best prepare to continue their patients’ care. 

The bill also requires the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to be notified of a water disruption event within five business days and for the public notification of these events to be posted on social media. Water disruption events include planned or unplanned work or damage to a water main, a change in the treatment or source resulting in altered finished water quality, a condition that results in the issuance of a boil water order and other events.

“Water disruption events happen, but we can respond with adequate notification and preparation,” Manley said. “I thank my colleagues for supporting this common-sense safety measure and I look forward to seeing it pass through the Senate.”

House Bill 4988 passed with bipartisan support and is now under consideration by the Senate.