BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 803
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 24, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 803 (Gomez) - As Amended: April 22, 2013
Policy Committee: Water Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 15-0
Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill modifies the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) and Regional Water Quality Control Boards (regional
boards) regulation of recycled water. Specifically, this bill:
1)Designates this act as the Water Recycling Act of 2013.
2)Modifies recycled water spill reporting thresholds by making
those in the Health and Safety Code the same as those in the
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne).
3)Authorizes the SWRCB and the RWQCBs to permit advanced treated
purified water (ATPW) projects at the point where the highly
treated water enters a conveyance facility exiting the
treatment plant.
4)Provides that ATPW means water of wastewater origin treated
with a treatment method at least as effective as membrane
filtration, reverse osmosis, advanced oxidation, disinfection,
and engineered reliability features or other suitable
treatment as approved by the State Department of Public Health
(DPH).
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor, absorbable costs to the SWRCB and regional boards.
COMMENTS
AB 803
Page 2
1)Purpose . According to the author, this bill aligns existing
provisions in law and reduces unnecessary paperwork resulting
from the reporting of incidental run-off from recycled water
projects.
The bill clarifies existing Regional Water Quality Control
Board authority to permit Advanced Treated Purified Water
projects at the point where the highly treated water exits the
treatment plant and enters a conveyance facility.
As an example, the author contends the City of San Diego will
avoid the cost and environmental impact of a $220 million
pipeline by using the permitting approach provided in the
bill.
2)Background. There are over 250 water recycling plants
currently operating in the state. According to the California
Department of Water Resources, the state recycles 450,000
acre-feet to 580,000 acre-feet of wastewater annually. This
represents three times the amount recycled in 1970. About
two-thirds of the state's recycled water is used for
irrigation, with about 46% used for agriculture and another
21% used for landscaping. About 14% is used for groundwater
recharge, while 19% goes to all other uses.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081