BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 518|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 518
Author: Lowenthal (D)
Amended: 6/21/10
Vote: 21
ALL PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 9-0, 8/10/10
AYES: Lowenthal, Huff, Ashburn, DeSaulnier, Harman, Kehoe,
Pavley, Simitian, Wolk
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 71-0, 8/5/10 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT : Building standards: graywater
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the California Building
Standards Commission to adopt, as specified,
non-residential building standards for graywater systems
for indoor and outdoor use.
Assembly Amendments delete the prior version of the bill,
which provided incentives to cities and counties to adopt
measures that reduce or eliminate subsidies for parking,
and instead add the current language.
ANALYSIS :
CONTINUED
SB 518
Page
2
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.
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.
SB 518
Page
3
D. The effects of the use of graywater for irritation
on soil and ground water quality.
E. The use and regulation of graywater in other
jurisdictions.
F. Building standards on 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.
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.
Background
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 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.
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
SB 518
Page
4
include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers."
(Section 14876 of the Water Code)
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. (Section 13521 of the Water Code)
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/5/10)
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
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : 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".
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield,
Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles
Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, De La
Torre, De Leon, DeVore, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes,
Fuller, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gilmore,
Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Huber, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma,
Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello,
Nielsen, Norby, Portantino, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana,
SB 518
Page
5
Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson,
Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, John
A. Perez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Blakeslee, Davis, Fletcher, Furutani,
Hill, Lieu, V. Manuel Perez, Smyth, Vacancy
JJA:mw 8/10/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****