Commissioner urges study, white paper after proposed statewide OWTS bill

Commissioner Bridal said a draft bill from Representative Smith addressing septic systems has gaps and inconsistent terminology that risk duplicating or contradicting existing on‑site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) law.

“Representative Smith did send a draft bill regarding the, she called them the septic systems, but they're the OWTS,” Commissioner Bridal said, adding that the bill omitted existing OWTS provisions and that some funding approaches in the draft would likely not be supported by county commissioners.

Why it matters: commissioners said foundational research is needed before pursuing legislation. Bridal urged producing a white paper and possibly creating a study commission to gather technical input and craft a stronger bill in a subsequent legislative session.

Discussion details - Bridal said the draft bill uses the term “septic systems” while current statutory frameworks use “OWTS,” and that the draft failed to incorporate existing OWTS language and protections. - Commissioners discussed working with Representative Smith to amend the draft and noted the topic is on the Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) watch list; Bridal recommended preparing formal background material and a white paper to inform future legislation. - The county will coordinate with environmental engineers and other counties (Bridal referenced Alisa and James Rada as participants in future technical briefings).

Next steps: Bridal said staff will pursue a white paper and further stakeholder engagement to develop a more robust proposal for the legislature.