§ 15-58-107 - Water rights and replacement.
15-58-107. Water rights and replacement.
(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as affecting in any way the right of any person to enforce or protect, under applicable law, his or her interest in water resources affected by a surface coal mining operation.
(b) The operator of a surface coal mine shall replace the water supply of an owner of interest in real property who obtains all or part of his or her supply of water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, or other legitimate use from an underground or surface source where the supply has been affected by contamination, diminution, or interruption proximately resulting from the surface coal mine operation.