(1) By March 1, 2026, the division shall develop an action plan to address and improve water quality in mobile home parks. The action plan must comply with subsection (3) of this section.
(2) In developing the action plan, the division shall:
(a) Conduct outreach to park residents to:
(I) Gather information to develop the action plan; and
(II) Receive input about water quality concerns, including concerns related to water safety, color, odor, and taste;
(b) Coordinate with residents of parks to identify opportunities to improve the quality of finished water in and the water supply for parks;
(c) Ensure that communications with members of the public concerning the action plan are available in English, Spanish, and any other language requested by a resident or that the division determines is necessary for public outreach;
(d) Consult with or coordinate with some or all of the following entities: The park owner, park residents, nonprofit organizations, public institutions of higher education, the water provider, county health departments, and the ombudsperson;
(e) Consider the results of the testing program and any other water quality testing conducted to date;
(f) Assess water supply infrastructure for a sampling of parks based on prioritization criteria in section 25-8-1002 (1)(d), and this assessment must assess for the presence of lead pipes or decaying or aging pipes, the sizing of pipes, and water pressure levels to determine if infrastructure is impairing water quality; and
(g) Collect relevant data about finished water at parks.
(3) The action plan must:
(a) Include a status report of the testing program conducted to date, and the status report must specify the number of parks tested, the testing locations, and a summary of findings to date;
(b) Develop a strategy to test water quality at any parks not yet tested;
(c) Identify opportunities to improve the quality of finished water in and the water supply for parks, including opportunities to address color, taste, and odor concerns;
(d) In cooperating and consulting with the division of housing, identify opportunities for potential funding to improve the quality of finished water and the water supply and to enforce this part 10;
(e) Include timelines for implementation of the action plan; and
(f) Include a written description of how park resident feedback was and was not incorporated.
(4) The division shall coordinate with the division of housing to identify potential money, including grant money from the grant program, to support remediation of a water quality issue at a park.
Source: L. 2023: Entire part added, (HB 23-1257), ch. 376, p. 2252, � 1, effective June 5.
25-8-1005. Mobile home water quality grant program - created - grant application and award process - reporting - funding. (1) (a) The mobile home water quality grant program is created to provide grants to park owners, nonprofit entities, and local governments to address water quality issues and wastewater problems in mobile home parks.
(b) Grant recipients may use the money received through the grant program to remediate water quality issues in a park or, subject to division approval, improve water quality in a park.
(2) (a) The division shall administer the grant program and, subject to available appropriations, shall award grants as provided in this section.
(b) The division shall, in collaboration with the division of housing, develop policies to implement the grant program in accordance with this section. At a minimum, the policies must specify:
(I) The deadlines for applying for, awarding, and disbursing grants;
(II) The procedures for applying for a grant;
(III) The criteria used to evaluate a grant application; and
(IV) The criteria for determining the amount of a grant.
(3) To receive a grant, a park owner, nonprofit entity, or local government must submit an application to the division in accordance with the policies developed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. At a minimum, the application must include the following information:
(a) The name of the park owner, nonprofit entity, local government, or agency of a local government applying for the grant;
(b) The park that would benefit from the grant;
(c) A reference to the notice received in accordance with section 25-8-1003 (1)(b) on the mobile home park's water quality issue; and
(d) The planned remediation or improvement to be accomplished with the grant.
(4) (a) The division shall review the applications received under this section and shall prioritize funding for applications based on:
(I) The severity of the water quality issue;
(II) The number of people affected by the water quality issue; and
(III) The costs to remediate the water quality issue or improve water quality.
(b) Subject to available appropriations, on or before July 1, 2025, and on or before July 1 of each year thereafter, the division shall award grants as provided in this section and the policies adopted in accordance with this section.
(5) The general assembly shall annually appropriate money from the fund to the department for allocation to the division to implement the grant program. The division may use up to ten percent of the money annually appropriated for the grant program to pay the direct and indirect costs that the division incurs to administer the grant program.
Source: L. 2023: Entire part added, (HB 23-1257), ch. 376, p. 2254, � 1, effective June 5.