Senate panel advances fixes to mobile home park water-quality law after months of testing and testimony

The Senate Local Government & Housing Committee advanced House Bill 26-11-45 on a 6–1 vote after hours of testimony from residents, municipal officials and agency witnesses about persistent water problems in mobile home parks.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Cindy Cutter and co-sponsored by Sen. Mullica, makes technical changes to the 2023 Mobile Home Park Water Quality Act to let the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) require remediation for ‘‘welfare’’ issues — water problems that make tap water unusable for household tasks — and to enforce resident-notification rules. "Clean, healthy water is such a basic human right," Cutter said during her opening remarks.

Why it matters: Residents in hundreds of parks have reported water that is discolored, metallic-tasting, or damaging to appliances; CDPHE testing has flagged bacterial contamination and contaminants such as PFAS in some sites. Proponents said the bill closes a legal gap that left CDPHE unable to compel fixes for non–health-threshold problems that nonetheless undermine residents’ daily lives.

Agency evidence and process: Ron Falco, CDPHE’s Safe Drinking Water Program manager, told the committee, "We have tested 395 parks actually," and described a stepwise remediation process that typically begins with follow-up sampling and engineering evaluations before enforcement. Stephanie Hosey, CDPHE’s mobile home park unit manager, summarized implementation detail: "We have 10 days to notify the park owner that there's been a water quality issue identified," and CDPHE uses additional testing and remediation steps before penalties are considered.

Residents’ accounts: Multiple residents and community groups described health and financial impacts. Manuel Marquez said a door-hanger notice that his park left him unsure how long people had been exposed: "It read that some leak in the water might have contaminated it ... I don't know how long the paper was sitting there before I read it." Community groups pressed for enforcement and clear resident notice so families do not shoulder the burden of bottled water or damaged appliances.

Industry concerns and statutory clarity: Industry representatives including Tawny Payton of the Rocky Mountain Home Association and Amy Bove of the Colorado Manufactured Housing Coalition testified in an amend position, urging narrower statutory language tying "risk to welfare" to measurable CDPHE policies. Both asked the committee to ensure the law does not single out mobile home parks for obligations that other housing providers do not face. Amy Bove recommended codifying a cross-reference to CDPHE’s measurable screening policy.

Penalties and enforcement: Committee members raised concerns that civil penalties could be large and potentially force park owners into difficult financial positions. CDPHE witnesses and the sponsors emphasized the department’s stepwise enforcement approach and that monetary penalties have been rare to date. Falco said departments explore funding options and remediation plans before penalty actions.

Next steps: Sponsors said they are willing to continue stakeholder conversations about the statutory language for "reasonable likelihood" and "risk to welfare" prior to second reading. The bill will go to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation.

Vote: HB 26-11-45 advanced from committee by a 6–1 roll call.