§ 22 §2602-A — Fees for testing private water supplies

1.
Purpose.
The Legislature finds that there is a growing threat to the State's drinking water from a variety of contaminants or properties and that testing of private residential water supplies is necessary to protect the public health. The Legislature recognizes that certain testing may be prohibitively expensive and accordingly provides for state-funded testing as set forth in this section.
2.
Fees.
Except as provided in subsection 3, the department shall charge the average cost of the analysis for an examination, testing or analysis of private residential water supplies requested under this chapter. These fees must be recalculated and deposited according to section 565, subsection 3 and section 568, except that the fee charged for testing a private residential water supply may not exceed $150 when:
3.
Well water testing for low-income residents.
The department shall establish and maintain a program through the Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory established in section 565 to provide free testing for arsenic of the private residential water supplies of low-income residents of the State. The department may not charge any fee or recover any cost as otherwise permitted by this chapter for a test of a private residential water supply performed for a low-income resident of the State under the program established pursuant to this subsection. As used in this subsection, "low-income resident" means a person who receives assistance under the MaineCare program or the food supplement program under section 3104.

Legislative History

PL 1981, c. 703, §A20 (NEW). PL 1983, c. 837, §1 (RPR). PL 1991, c. 499, §3 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 499, §26 (AFF). PL 2017, c. 230, §2 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. BB, §§1, 2 (AMD).