BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 918|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 918
Author: Pavley (D)
Amended: 6/1/10
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 6-3, 3/24/10
AYES: Alquist, Cedillo, Leno, Negrete McLeod, Pavley,
Romero
NOES: Strickland, Aanestad, Cox
SENATE ENV. QUALITY COMMITTEE : 6-0, 4/19/10
AYES: Simitian, Runner, Corbett, Lowenthal, Pavley,
Strickland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Hancock
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-3, 5/27/10
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Corbett, Leno, Price, Wolk, Yee
NOES: Denham, Walters, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cox
SUBJECT : Water recycling
SOURCE : Planning and Conservation League
WateReuse California
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Public
Health (DPH) to adopt uniform water recycling criteria for
indirect potable water reuse for groundwater recharge, as
defined, by December 31, 2013, and develop and adopt
uniform water recycling criteria for surface water
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augmentation, as defined, by December 31, 2016. The bill
requires DPH to investigate the feasibility of developing
uniform water recycling criteria for direct portable reuse
and to provide a final report on that investigation to the
Legislature by December 31, 2016. The bill requires from
July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2017, inclusive, funds generated
by the imposition of specified liabilities for violations
of water quality requirements to be made available, upon
appropriations, by the Legislature, to DPH for purposes of
developing and adopting the water recycling criteria.
ANALYSIS :
Existing federal law
1. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), sets public
health regulatory standards for drinking water.
2. Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), regulates discharge of
pollutants into the waters of the United States and sets
quality standards for surface waters.
Existing California law
1. Requires DPH to enforce laws and regulations related to
drinking water safety.
2. Requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs)
to enforce water quality laws and regulations for the
state's waterways.
3. Requires the assessment of penalties for violations of
water quality laws and requires the funds generated by
these civil penalties to be deposited into the Waste
Discharge Permit Fund, to be expended by SWRCB upon
appropriation by the Legislature for the purpose of
pollution abatement in the state's waters.
4. Establishes the Water Recycling Act of 1991, creating a
statewide goal to recycle a total of 700,000 acre-feet
of water per year by 2000 and 1,000,000 acre-feet of
water per year by 2010. Requires each urban water
supplier to prepare, and update every five years, an
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urban water management plan with specified components,
including information on recycled water and its
potential for use as a water source in the service area
of the urban water supplier.
5. Requires DPH to establish uniform statewide recycling
criteria for each type of use of recycled water use.
This bill:
1. Makes various findings a declarations regarding the use
and benefits of recycled water.
2. Defines "direct potable reuse," "indirect potable reuse
for groundwater recharge" and "surface water
augmentation."
3. Requires DPH to adopt uniform water recycling criteria
for indirect potable reuse for groundwater recharge on
or before December 31, 2013.
4. Requires DPH to develop and adopt uniform water
recycling criteria for surface water augmentation on or
before December 31, 2016.
5. Requires DPH to investigate and report to the
Legislature on the feasibility of developing uniform
water recycling criteria for direct potable reuse, and
requires a public review draft report to the Legislature
and public by June 30, 2016, and a final report by
December 31, 2016.
6. Requires DPH to consider specified factors in developing
both the uniform criteria and the feasibility study.
7. Requires DPH to convene an expert panel to advise on
scientific and technical matters related to the
development of the aforementioned criteria, comprised of
specified experts. Allows DPH to also appoint an
advisory group, task force, or other group comprised of
representatives of water and wastewater agencies, local
public health officers, and related public health and
environmental organizations.
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8. Provides that funds generated by civil penalties
deposited in the Waste Discharge Permit Fund between
July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2017 must be made available to
DPH upon appropriation by the Legislature.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12
2012-13 Fund
Development of criteria $171 $171 $226
Special*
* Waste Discharge Permit Fund.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/10)
Planning and Conservation League (co-source)
WateReuse California (co-source)
California Association of Sanitation Agencies
California Municipal Utilities Association
California Water Association
City of Roseville
County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Eastern Municipal Water District
Irvine Ranch Water District
Las Virgenes Water District
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
San Diego Coastkeeper
San Diego County Water Authority
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Sierra Club California
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
each year, California discharges nearly four million acre
feet of wastewater into the ocean, more than the State
Water Project delivers to the Bay Area, the Central Valley
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and Southern Caliornia. Much of that water could be
recylced. However, because the state has not adopted
uniform safety standards, the permitting and design
processes for building and operating water recycling
facilities are unpredictable, discouraging local
communities from tapping into this major water source.
CTW:do 6/1/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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