BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 322|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 322
Author: Hueso (D)
Amended: 5/28/13
Vote: 21
SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE : 9-0, 5/1/13
AYES: Hill, Gaines, Calderon, Corbett, Fuller, Hancock,
Jackson, Leno, Pavley
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-0, 5/20/13
AYES: De León, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Padilla, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Lara
SUBJECT : Water recycling
SOURCE : San Diego County Water Authority
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Public Health
(DPH) in consultation with the State Water Resources Control
Board (SWRCB), to investigate the feasibility of developing
uniform water recycling criteria for direct potable reuse, to
provide a final report on that investigation to the Legislature
no later than December 31, 2016; and requires the DPH to
complete the public review draft of its report by September 1,
2016.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
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1.Requires the SWRCB and the Regional Water Quality Control
Boards (regional boards) to enforce water quality laws and
regulations for the state's waterways.
2.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.
3.Requires each urban water supplier to prepare, and update
every five years, an 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.
4.Requires DPH to adopt uniform water recycling criteria for
indirect potable reuse for groundwater recharge on or before
December 31, 2013.
5.Requires DPH to develop and adopt uniform water recycling
criteria for indirect potable reuse through reservoir
augmentation on or before December 31, 2016.
6.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 the public by June 30, 2016, and
a final report by December 31, 2016.
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.
This bill:
1. Requires DPH in consultation with SWRCB, to investigate the
feasibility of developing uniform water recycling criteria
for direct potable reuse, to provide a final report on that
investigation to the Legislature no later than December 31,
2016; and requires the DPH to complete the public review
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draft of its report by September 1, 2016.
2. Requires the DPH to convene and administer an expert panel
no later than January, 30, 2014.
3. Requires the panel to assess any additional areas of
research that are needed to be able to establish uniform
regulatory criteria for direct potable reuse and recommend an
approach for accomplishing any of the additional needed
research in a timely manner.
4. Requires the inclusion of a limnologist in addition to the
other listed experts.
5. Expands the list of specified entities from which the
representatives of the advisory group, task force, or other
group could be selected to include DPH, the SWRCB and the
United States Environmental Protection Agency.
6. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2016, the DPH shall
prepare a draft report summarizing the recommendations of the
expert panel.
7. Authorizes the DPH to contract with a University of
California, California State University or other research
institutions, as prescribed.
8. Authorizes DPH to accept funds from nonstate sources and to
expend these funds, upon appropriation by the Legislature.
Background
Recycled Water . Recycled water, sometimes called reclaimed
water, is former wastewater (sewage) that has been treated to
remove solids and certain impurities, and then allowed to
recharge the aquifer rather than being discharged to surface
water. This recharging is often done by using the treated
wastewater for irrigation. Recycled water is used for many
purposes including agricultural irrigation, landscape
irrigation, groundwater recharge, and seawater intrusion
barriers. Before recycled water can be used for these
beneficial uses, the regional boards and DPH require treatment
to remove pollutants that could be harmful to the beneficial
use.
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State Regulations for Groundwater Recharge . DPH regulates
projects under the State Water Recycling Criteria (Title 22) and
draft groundwater recharge regulations. The draft recharge
regulations, which are used as guidance in evaluating projects,
specifically address protection of public health, (see Senate
Environmental Quality analysis for these regulations).
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Unknown, but likely in the thousands to low tens of
thousands of dollars from the Waste Discharge Permit Fund
(Special) or nonstate donations for additional
requirements for the development of uniform water
recycling criteria.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/28/13)
San Diego County Water Authority (source)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
timely completion of an expert panel report and recommendations
from DPH on the ability to ensure a safe water supply through
direct potable reuse projects is critical for the planning of
potable reuse projects in California. While no agencies are
currently proposing direct potable reuse projects, safe use of
advanced treated purified water for direct potable water would
result in significant savings in costs of constructing and
operating infrastructure, and reduced energy consumption.
RM:ej 5/28/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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