Water - As enacted, authorizes municipal water and sewer systems to undertake certain projects on private property. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 63; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69. Companion bill has been assigned Public, the official text

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                            PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 1055

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 639

                        By Walley, Campbell, Yager, Bailey, Hensley, Jackson, Rose

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 1259

           By Capley, Vital, Doggett, Haston, Eldridge, Howell, Boyd, White, Freeman, Stinnett

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 63; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69,
         relative to water.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-35-401 (b), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:

                   ( ) "Galvanized requiring replacement" means a galvanized service line that is or was
          at any time downstream of a lead service line, or is currently or was previously connected to
          a lead service line, and is required to be replaced pursuant to applicable federal drinking
         water regulations, including the federal Lead and Copper Rule, 40 C.F.R. Part 141, Subpart
          I, as amended.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-35-401 (c)(1)(B)(iii), is amended by
deleting the subdivision in its entirety and substituting instead the following:

                    (iii) "Project for a private purpose" does not include the renewal or replacement or
          assessment of:.

                             (a) Private water lines behind a utility-owned meter when such rehabilitative
                    maintenance or construction is deemed necessary by a municipality, utility district,
                    metropolitan government, or other public entity to address lead service lines or
                    galvanized requiring replacement lines located on private property, but only for the
                    portion of the service line extending from the utility-owned meter to the exterior
                    building envelope of the structure served for the purpose of addressing serious health
                    issues; or

                             (b) Sewage lines on private property when such rehabilitative maintenance or
                    construction is deemed necessary by a municipality, utility district, metropolitan
                    government, or other public entity because excessive infiltration and inflow from
                    groundwater or rainwater is resulting in sanitary sewer overflows or other serious
                    health or system capacity issues.

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-35-401 (c), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:

                    (3) A municipality, utility district, metropolitan government, or other public entity may,
          but is not required to, maintain or construct individual lines for the purposes described in
          subdivisions (c)(1)(B)(iii)(a) and (b) if the property owner consents and agrees to hold the
          municipality, utility district, metropolitan government, or other public entity harmless for the
          work.

          SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 639

PASSED:  April 22, 2026

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         --              \           RANDY llltNALLY

                            SPEAKER OF THE ~ENA TE

                         C'J~

                         CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this J;),rrrJ day of (\/\9  2026

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         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR