BILL ANALYSIS
AB 80
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 80 (Blakeslee)
As Amended August 17, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |75-0 |(April 2, 2009) |SENATE: |> |(>) |
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Original Committee Reference: W., P. & W
SUMMARY : Amends water storage and treatment requirements for the
Nacimiento and Lake Lopez Reservoirs, to allow body-contact
recreation.
The Senate amendments :
1)Provide further specification as to compliance with water
quality laws.
2)Specify minimum requirements for compliance with state and
federal laws, including the federal Surface Water Treatment
Rule, and assures the State's right to impose more stringent
requirements.
3)Specify that this legislation does not create a state mandate
because the local agency requested the legislation.
EXISTING LAW prohibits bodily contact recreation in reservoirs
where water is stored for domestic use, but provides certain
exceptions. Nacimiento Reservoir currently has an exemption,
allowing bodily contact recreation such as swimming in the
reservoir. The statute conditions the exception on compliance
with specified, heightened treatment requirements. Exceptions
have been given to reservoirs with unique recreational importance
to their region.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar to
the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : Non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : This bill expands an exception allowing human contact
recreation in reservoirs, granted to Nacimiento Reservoir by AB
1460 (Bordonaro) in 1997, to include nearby Lopez Lake.
Nacimiento and Lopez Lake Reservoirs supply domestic water to
AB 80
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approximately 75,000 San Luis Obispo County residents, and offer
recreational opportunities.
AB 80 would allow water from both Nacimiento and Lake Lopez
reservoirs to be treated with water treatment systems that comply
with state and federal law/regulations on drinking water quality.
The County of San Luis Obispo (bill sponsor) has proposed an
alternative membrane treatment technology (approved by the
Department of Public Health) that is not allowed under the current
law that specifies the method of treatment. The County suggests
that this system "will cost the public considerably less than
other filtration methods." The Senate specified minimum
regulatory requirements, but retained the concept of a broader
range of allowable technologies to treat the water from these
reservoirs.
Analysis Prepared by : Alf W. Brandt / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096 FN: 0002329