About
Policy Happenings
With so many bills proposed every legislative session, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—especially when it comes to protecting Indiana’s water supply. We work to gather the key water-related legislation from the Statehouse every year as well as provide updates after the session. Read on to find out how you can make your voice heard to safeguard Indiana’s water future.
State and local policies can dramatically impact the protection or degradation of water resources. Learn more about some of the primary issues from experts through:
- our Collective Tap Podcast episodes,
- our Science & Policy Forums, and
- of course, attend the annual Indiana Water Summit
Bills
HB 1239 PFAS Water Safety Standards
Bill: HB 1239 PFAS Water Safety Standards
Author: Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Referred To: House Committee on Environmental Affairs
HB 1239 requires the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to establish state maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFAS in water provided by public water systems, and that those state MCLs must be protective of public health (including the health of vulnerable subpopulations) and no less stringent than federal MCLs or health advisories.
Stance: Support
HB 1204 Natural Resource Entrance Fees
Bill: HB 1204 Natural Resource Entrance Fees
Author: Rep. Dave Hall
Referred To: House Committee on Natural Resources
HB 1204 allows certain counties to add a $1 surcharge to the entrance fee for certain state park and recreation areas, provided the additional revenue is used for public safety or drinking water quality protection and improvement.
Stance: Support
HB 1190 Line of Duty Disability from PFAS Exposure
Bill: HB 1190 Line of Duty Disability from PFAS Exposure
Author: Rep. Randy Novak
Referred To: House Committee on Veteran Affairs and Public Safety
HB 1190 identifies firefighters’ health conditions caused by PFAS exposure as presumptively line-of-duty disabilities.
Stance: Support
HB 1185 Department of Agriculture
Bill: HB 1185 Department of Agriculture
Author: Rep. Mike Aylesworth
Referred To: House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
In addition to other, non-water-related provisions, HB 1185: (a) requires the Division of Soil Conservation in the Indiana Department of Agriculture to collaborate with state and federal agencies and research institutions in the installation and maintenance of mesonet sites, and (b) allows money in the Clean Water Indiana fund to be used for the installation and maintenance of mesonet sites and for modeling and analysis of data from mesonet sites for the benefit of agricultural decision making.
Stance: Support
HB 1124 Testing Drinking Water for Lead in School Buildings
Bill: HB 1124 Testing Drinking Water for Lead in School Buildings
Author: Rep. Carolyn Jackson
Referred To: House Committee on Public Health
Requires anyone with authority over a public or charter school building to test the drinking water in the building for lead. Sets testing protocols, deadlines, and unacceptable levels of lead. Directs school officials to follow remediation procedures if unacceptable levels of lead are present.
Stance: Support
HB 1110 PFAS Chemicals
Bill: HB 1110 PFAS Chemicals
Author: Rep. Becky Cash
Referred To: House Committee on Environmental Affairs
Subjects wastewater dischargers holding NPDES permits (and permit applicants) to effluent limitation standards for the maximum amount of PFAS they can discharge under the federal Clean Water Act. Defines “indirect dischargers” as those who introduce industrial wastewater containing PFAS into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and subjects indirect dischargers to the PFAS effluent limitation standards. Includes monitoring and reporting requirements. Incorporates a definition of “waters of the state.” Requires the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to establish drinking water standards and effluent limitation standards for PFAS by July 1, 2027 and to update them every 4 years. Identifies six types of PFAS for which such limitations must be set. Dischargers and publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) must meet those standards by July 1, 2029. Creates a PFAS Chemical Testing and Remediation Fund to receive proceeds of penalties imposed for violations of effluent limitation standards. Money from the PFAS Chemical Testing and Remediation Fund may be used to offset remediation costs incurred by treatment providers or testing costs incurred by landlords and tenants.
Stance: Support
SB 83 Various Utility Matters
Bill: SB 83 Various Utility Matters
Author: Sen. Fady Qaddoura
Referred To: Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 83 deals mostly with electric utilities. (Energy generation is a major water use category, however, so policies affecting electric power can have water resource implications.) Among other things, it exempts consumers’ utility bills from state sales tax. It also removes the sales tax exemption for data centers that the General Assembly passed earlier in 2025.
Stance: .
SB 79 Data Center Development
Bill: SB 79 Data Center Development
Author: Sen. J.D. Ford
Referred To: Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 79 deals mostly with electric utilities. (Energy generation is a major water use category, however, so policies affecting electric power can have water resource implications.) Among other things, it requires the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to establish a working group to estimate future electricity needs of data centers and report by October 31, 2026.
Stance: .
HB 1043 Data Center Water Regulation
Bill: HB 1043 Data Center Water Regulation
Author: Rep. Alex Burton
Referred To: House Committee on Natural Resources
Link to the bill: IGA | House Bill 1043 – Data center water regulation
HB 1043 would require a water consumption permit to be issued by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) before any person/company could operate a data center that would use 10 million gallons or more of water per month. It contains a definition of “data center.” The bill specifies the information that must be submitted with the permit application and established the process for DNR to follow in approving or denying the application. HB 1043 allows a person/company to consult DNR prior to applying, to assess the viability of a proposed data center with respect to water consumption. It also authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to adopt any needed rules to implement the bill’s permit requirement and/or application process.
Stance: Support