Requiring the installation of outdoor drinking fountains in parks under the jurisdiction of the department of parks and recreation and in other public places.

This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) to install, replace, or upgrade 500 outdoor drinking fountains by 2035. The bill would require such fountains to have bottle filling stations and be accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, Parks would be required to report the locations of the 500 fountains, and assess the feasibility of year-round outdoor drinking fountains. The bill would also require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Transportation, to install 10 new outdoor drinking fountains in public places other than parks within communities that are underserved by publicly accessible drinking fountains. Finally, DEP would be required to make recommendations on whether the program should be expanded, and what challenges and issues are presented by the program.