BILL ANALYSIS
SB 518
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Date of Hearing: June 15, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC MATERIALS
Pedro Nava, Chair
SB 518 (Alan Lowenthal) - As Amended: June 7, 2010
SENATE VOTE : 21-12 (Not Relevant)
SUBJECT : Non-residential building standards: graywater.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Building Standards Commission
(BSC) to adopt, as specified, non-residential building standards
for graywater systems for indoor and outdoor use. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Requires the BSC, at its next triennial building standards
rule-making cycle commencing on or after January 1, 2011, to
establish nonresidential building standards for the
construction, installation, and alteration of graywater
systems, as defined, for both indoor and outdoor uses.
2)Provides that the BSC shall establish the graywater standards
based on:
a) The protection of water quality in accordance with state
and federal water quality laws;
b) The use of existing building standards for graywater
construction and installations;
c) The impacts of graywater use on human health;
The effects of the use of graywater for irritation on soil
and ground water quality;
d) The use and regulation of graywater in other
jurisdictions within the United States and in other
nations, including, but not limited to, New South Wales,
Australia;
e) The water quality and technology accreditation standards
being developed by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF
International) Standard 350 Task Group on Onsite
Residential and Commercial Graywater Treatment Systems; and
f) Building standards on the Chapter 16 of the Uniform
Plumbing code adopted by the International Association of
Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.
3)Authorizes BSC to revise and update these standards at any
time.
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4)Provides that, when BSC approves the standards, the existing
authority of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to adopt
and update non-residential graywater systems standards is
terminated.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Defines graywater as untreated wastewater, uncontaminated by
toilet discharge or an unhealthy bodily waste, which is not a
threat from unhealthful processing, manufacturing or operating
wastes. Graywater includes wastewater from bathtubs, showers,
bathroom washbasins, clothes washers, and laundry tubs.
Graywater excludes kitchen sink or dishwasher wastewater.
2)Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development
(HCD) to propose adoption, amendment, or repeal of building
standards to the BSC. Authorizes BSC to approve and adopt
building standards. Requires that every three years a
building standards rulemaking is undertaken to revise and
update the California Building Standards Code.
3)Requires HCD to adopt and submit to the BSC for approval
building standards for the construction, installation, and
alteration of graywater systems for indoor and outdoor use in
residential occupancies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Not known.
COMMENTS :
1)Need for the bill . According to the author, this bill
addresses the need for additional water resources,
specifically, "as water shortages grow more frequent and
severe, it is imperative that the state promote the re-use of
graywater wherever possible. Now that the state has
established graywater standards for residential uses, it is
time to take the next step to promote graywater re-use in
non-residential occupancies".
2)Graywater : Water provided to homes and businesses meets
national primary drinking water standards. However, many of
the applications for water use in urban environments (e.g.,
flushing toilets, cleaning, firefighting, irrigation, etc.) do
not pose the same types of exposure as direct ingestion of
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drinking water. Recovering graywater provides an opportunity
to utilize an alternative water source for non-potable
applications, thereby preserving water resources for other
applications while decreasing the amount of energy used to
treat both drinking water and wastewater and to convey water
from sources to users and back to treatment facilities.
However, ongoing uncertainties about health risks, ecological
protection, and the appropriate regulatory framework for
protecting public health have posed barriers to implementation
in California.
3)Graywater vs. recycled water . Existing law defines
"graywater" as "untreated wastewater which has not been
contaminated by any toilet discharge ? and does not present a
threat from contamination by unhealthful processing,
manufacturing, or operating wastes. Graywater includes
wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom washbasins,
clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs but does not
include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers." (Water
Code Section 14876)
Recycled water, by contrast, is waste water from all sources
that is treated at a waste water treatment plant so as to
achieve standards established by the Department of Health
Services. (Water Code Section 13521)
4)Clarifying amendments . The bill provides a list of resources
that the BSC should consider when establishing the graywater
standards for non-residential properties (18941(c)). Several
of these criteria, including the standards adopted in New
South Wales, the NSF International Standard 350 Task Group,
and the Chapter 16 of the Uniform Plumbing code may not be
appropriate for the California graywater standards. In some
cases the recommendations have not been adopted or they have
been established for water recycling standards and not
graywater use.
The Committee may wish to simplify and clarify the
issues for the BSC consideration.
1)Prior Legislation : SB 1258 (Lowenthal), Chapter 172, Statutes
of 2008, required the HCD to adopt and submit to the BSC for
approval building standards for the construction,
installation, and alteration of graywater systems for indoor
and outdoor use in residential occupancies.
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2)SB 518 - as approved by the Senate : This bill was amended
after in was approved by the Senate. The amendments removed
the contents of the bill and then added the non-residential
graywater. The prior provisions of the bill addressed auto
parking at State facilities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Municipal Utilities Association
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
Natural Resources Defense Council
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors of California
Winnemem Wintu Tribe
Opposition
None Received
Analysis Prepared by : Bob Fredenburg / E.S. & T.M. / (916)
319-3965