Government

Senator Francis Heyliger Spearheads Relief Bills for St. Croix Ratepayers and Water Safety

New legislation proposed by Senator Alma Francis Heyliger during a Tuesday session was voted upon favorably by her colleagues, as lawmakers explore various ways to assist residents of St. Croix affected by discolored water, which in some areas was found to contain high levels of lead and copper. The two bills aim to ease some of the financial burden incurred by customers and promote the early detection of similar contamination in the future. Bill 35-020, as explained by Ms. Francis Heyliger, would require the Water and Power Authority "to issue a monthly water bill abatement for six months to residential and commercial customers receiving potable water service in an area impacted by unsatisfactory levels of lead and copper.” Meanwhile, Bill 35-0201 which was also sponsored by Ms. Heyliger Francis, initially required owners and operators of public water systems to conduct yearly testing for lead and copper. Following an amendment, the measure now includes the same requirement for ope...