ID S1217

Permits water diversion without a water right for immediate cleanup or removal of hazardous substances or petroleum as part of an emergency response by state or local emergency response authorities to a release.

Requires the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to report to the Idaho Department of Water Resources within 72 hours with the location, need, and expected duration of emergency response operations.

Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to consult with the Director of the Department of Water Resources on maintaining delivery of existing water rights during cleanup or removal operations.

Maintains existing exemptions for water diversion without a water right for firefighting and forest practices (limited to 0.2 acre-feet per day from a single watercourse).