In 1992, Missouri's legislature enacted the Public Drinking Water Primacy Fee and the Laboratory Services and Program Administration Fees to establish a dedicated funding source to support the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' efforts to ensure adequate water for Missouri citizens that is safe to drink. The primacy fee provides funding necessary to implement the federal Safe Drinking Water Act through the Missouri Safe Drinking Water Law and regulations. The fees are set in Code of State Regulations, 10 CSR 60-16, and bring in approximately $11.6 million per year. More information about the fees is available in the department's factsheet, The Drinking Water Primacy Fee: What Does the Fee Do for You? - PUB2229.
Authority and Requirements
Missouri Revised Statutes, section 640.100.8, RSMo, gives the department the authority to conduct a comprehensive review of the fees, with stakeholder input, and develop proposed changes to the fee structure, with stakeholder agreement. The goal of the stakeholder meetings is to review the fees and decide on a proposal to revise the fee structure through the rulemaking process. Once stakeholder agreement is received, the department must have the Missouri Safe Drinking Water Commission's approval before starting the rulemaking process.
2020 Revision Process
In 2020, the department held stakeholder meetings to discuss potential changes to the primacy, laboratory certification and laboratory services and program administration and operator certification fee structures. Information and video from the stakeholder meetings is available below.
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Jan. 31, 2020
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Feb. 20, 2020
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March 17, 2020
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March 31, 2020
Current Fee Structure
The following fee structures were approved by the Missouri Safe Drinking Water Commission and became effective Jan. 1, 2022.
Primacy Fee
The primacy fee per customer service connection for unmetered customers and customers with meters not greater than one inch in size is based on the number of service connections in the water system serving that customer.
| Number of Connections | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1 to 10 connections | $50* |
| 11 to 10,000 connections | $5.28 per connection |
| 10,001 to 50,000 connections | $4.80 per connection |
| 50,001 to 100,000 connections | $4.20 per connection |
| More than 100,000 connections | $3.48 per connection |
*$50 minimum fee assessed for systems with less than 10 connections
| Meter Size | Fee |
|---|---|
| Greater than one inch, but less than or equal to two inches | $21 |
| Greater than two inches, but less than or equal to four inches | $102 |
| Greater than four inches | $198 |
Laboratory Certification Fees
| Fee Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Organic Chemicals | $2,700 |
| Inorganic Chemicals | $1,500 |
| Bacteriological | $500 |
| Fee Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Chemical Laboratory | $2,500 |
| Microbiological Laboratory | $500 |
Laboratory Services and Program Administration Fees
| System Type | Number of Connections | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Transient | Any | $150 |
| Groundwater* | 7,599 or less | $300 |
| Groundwater* | 7,600 or more | $500 |
| Surface Water* | Any | $750 |
*Except transient noncommunity water systems.
Operator Certification Fees
| Fee Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application/ Exam | $50 |
| Exam Retake | $50 |
| Renewal (3-Year Certificate) | $60 |
| Reciprocity Certification (3-Year Certificate) | $75 |
| Late Fee | $37.50 per month ($75 max) |