1. (a) Before a water utility may seek to include customer lead service line improvements as eligible infrastructure improvements:

   1. (1) for purposes of IC 8-1-31 , for public utilities; or

   2. (2) for purpose of this chapter, for municipally owned utilities;

      the water utility must first obtain approval from the commission of the water utility's plan for the customer lead service line improvements. To seek approval of the water utility's plan for the customer lead service line improvements, the water utility shall file with the commission a petition and a case-in-chief, including the information set forth in section 6 of this chapter.

2. (b) After holding a properly noticed public hearing, the commission shall approve the water utility's plan under this section if the commission makes the required findings under section 6 of this chapter.
3. (c) The commission shall issue the commission's final order on the water utility's petition not later than two hundred ten (210) days after the filing of the water utility's case-in-chief.

As added by P.L.91-2017, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.137-2020, SEC.3.