BILL ANALYSIS Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair 918 (Pavley) Hearing Date: 05/27/2010 Amended: 04/26/2010 Consultant: Brendan McCarthy Policy Vote: Health 6-3, EQ 6-0 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: SB 918 requires the Department of Public Health to adopt criteria for groundwater recharge with recycled water by December 31, 2013. The bill requires the Department to adopt criteria for reservoir augmentation with recycled water by December 31, 2016. The bill requires the Department to report to the Legislature by 2016 on the feasibility of developing criteria for the potable use of recycled water. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund Development of criteria$171 $171 $226 Special * * Waste Discharge Permit Fund. _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. Current law requires the Department of Public Health to establish statewide criteria for the use of recycled water. SB 918 requires the Department to adopt uniform water recycling criteria for indirect potable use for groundwater recharge, by December 31, 2013. The bill requires the Department to adopt uniform water recycling criteria for surface water augmentation by December 31, 2016. The bill requires the Department to report to the Legislature on the feasibility of developing uniform water recycling criteria for direct potable reuse, by December 31, 2016. The bill requires the Department to convene an expert panel, made up of members with specified expertise. The bill also authorizes the Department to convene an advisory task force. Members of the panel and task force would only be compensated for travel expenses. The bill authorizes the expenditure of up to $3 million over six fiscal years for the implementation of the bill. These funds would be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, from the Waste Discharge Permit Fund. Staff estimates the Department will need at least one additional position over the next six years as well as some additional positions intermittently over that period.