Mobile home parks water to be tested

State law comes in response to complaints

BY SAM TABACHNIK THE DENVER POST

Residents in Colorado’s mobile home parks have long sco ed when asked if they drink the community’s water.

It’s hardly even a question to think about. e answer: No, never. e liquid smells bad or looks like rust, they say. It stains dishes and sheets.

State lawmakers listened to these concerns — and now Colorado will embark on a multiyear e ort to address them.

HB23-1257, signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis in June, will launch a statewide e ort to test the water quality in mobile home parks that fall through the cracks of existing testing mechanisms. If testing reveals an issue, the park operator will need to complete a remediation plan and provide safe water for residents.

“It feels very empowering,” said

Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, and one of the bill’s cosponsors. “We’re nally listening to our communities and supporting working families.” e legislation — co-sponsored by Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, and Sens. Lisa Cutter, DJe erson County, and Kevin Priola, D-Henderson — also addresses concerns that go beyond federally mandated testing for contaminants,

including the water’s color, odor and

It will be enforced by the Water Quality Control Division inside the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the state attorney general.

On top of the testing requirements, the legislation also creates a $3.6 million grant program to help park owners, nonpro t entities and local governments address water quality e bill marks the fth year in a row that the state legislature approved a bill concerning mobile home parks and residents. Previous legislation sought to make it easier for residents to purchase the land on which their homes sit, allowed the attorney general to enforce provisions of the Mobile Home Park Act and limited the number of times park owners could increase rent per year. is Denver Post story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

Water quality issues will be added to the database created by the Mobile Home Park Oversight Program, which tracks complaints against park owners.

Velasco, who grew up in mobile home parks in Colorado’s high country, notes that this bill is just the beginning.

“We want to make sure there is clean water everywhere,” she said.