BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 803
                                                                  Page  1

          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 803 (Gomez)
          As Amended  August 12, 2013
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |77-0 |(May 29, 2013)  |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 26,    |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2013)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    W., P. & W.  

           SUMMARY  :  Removes some barriers to greater use of recycled water  
          by making spill reporting standards for recycled water uniform;  
          authorizing hose bibs for recycled water in cemeteries, under  
          specified conditions; and, clarifying that advanced treated  
          purified water can be regulated for purity at the point it  
          leaves a wastewater treatment facility and before it comingles  
          with other waters in a conveyance facility if the owner or  
          operator of that conveyance facility consents.

           The Senate amendments  make the following multiple refinements:

          1)Authorize the use of hose bibs for recycled water in  
            cemeteries, as specified. 

          2)Delete the definition of, and all references to, advanced  
            treated purified water when referring to what type of recycled  
            water may be permitted at the point of discharge and before  
            entry into a conveyance facility.  Instead, the amendments  
            refer more generally to recycled water that is determined to  
            be suitable for direct potable use or surface water  
            augmentation. 

          3)Clarify that permitting at the point of discharge may only be  
            done with the consent of the conveyance facility's owner or  
            operator.

          4)Add an affirmative statement that the provisions of this bill  
            do not limit or restrict the authority of the State Water  
            Resources Control Board.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.









                                                                  AB 803
                                                                  Page  2

           COMMENTS  :  This bill makes three small but significant changes  
          that promote the use of recycled water.  

          First, the author states, this bill aligns existing provisions  
          in law and reduces unnecessary paperwork resulting from the  
          inconsistent reporting standards for incidental run-off from  
          recycled water projects.  

          In addition, the author advises that currently cemetery  
          operators who wish to provide hose bibs for use by visitors to  
          fill flower vases at their sites must either install, at  
          considerable cost, a parallel potable water distribution system  
          on-site to a significant number of hose bibs or forego the use  
          of recycled water and continue the wasteful use of potable water  
          for irrigation.  This bill will allow recycled water to cemetery  
          hose bibs but require signage to ensure that the recycled water  
          is not used for potable purposes.

          Finally, this 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.  The  
          author contends that, for example, the permitting approach  
          provided in the bill will allow the City of San Diego to use an  
          existing pipeline for blended water and will avoid the cost and  
          environmental impact of having to build another separate $220  
          million pipeline for highly treated recycled water.
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Tina Cannon Leahy / W., P. & W. / (916)  
          319-2096


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