Amended in Senate June 18, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1463

Introduced by Assembly Member Gatto

February 27, 2015

An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 13558) to Chapter 7 of Division 7 of the Water Code, relating to recycled water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1463, as amended, Gatto. Onsite recycled water.

Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to establish uniform statewide recycling criteria for each varying type of use of recycled water where the use involves the protection of public health.

This bill would require the state board, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, the California Building Standards Commission, begin insert the Department of Housing and Community Development, end insert and stakeholders, to establish water quality standards and begin delete distribution, monitoring, end delete begin insert ongoing monitoring end insert and reporting requirements for onsite water recycling begin delete systems prior to authorizing the use of onsite recycled water in internal plumbing of residential and commercial buildings. end delete begin insert systems using blackwater. This bill would authorize the Department of Housing and Community Development and the California Building Standards Commission to authorize the use of blackwater in onsite water recycling systems only if prescribed conditions are met. end insert

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The California Building Standards Law provides for the adoption of building standards by state agencies by requiring all state agencies that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit the building standard to the California Building Standards Commission for approval and adoption.

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This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to adopt building standards for all categories of residential and commercial onsite recycled water.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Article 8 (commencing with Section 13558) is
added to Chapter 7 of Division 7 of the end insert begin insert Water Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

 

Article begin insert 8. end insert   Onsite Recycled Water

 

begin insert 13558. end insert   

For the purposes of this article, “onsite recycled water”
means water, including graywater, rainwater, and other water
captured onsite, that has been sourced, treated, and used onsite
in a building in a manner that is protective of public health, safety,
and the environment. “Onsite recycled water” does not include
any blackwater except as provided in Section 13559.

begin insert 13559. end insert   

(a) (1) The state board, in consultation with the State
Department of Public Health, the California Building Standards
Commission, the Department of Housing and Community
Development, and stakeholders, shall establish water quality
standards and ongoing monitoring and reporting requirements
for onsite water recycling systems using blackwater.

(2) A local health department may set its own monitoring and
reporting standards for onsite recycled water using blackwater
until the state board has established standards pursuant to this
subdivision.

(b) The Department of Housing and Community Development
shall adopt building standards for all categories of residential and
commercial onsite recycled water.

(c) The Department of Housing and Community Development
and the California Building Standards Commission may authorize
the use of blackwater in onsite water recycling systems only if both
of the following conditions have been met:

(1) Building standards for the use of blackwater for all
categories of residential and commercial onsite blackwater
recycling systems have been adopted.

(2) The state board has developed water quality standards and
ongoing monitoring and reporting requirements for the use of
blackwater in onsite water recycling systems.

(d) Until the standards described in subdivisions (a) and (b)
have been established, a city, county, or city and county may
authorize the use of onsite recycled water in internal plumbing of
residential and commercial buildings to the extent allowed by law
prior to the addition of this section.

end insert

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SECTION 1.  

Article 8 (commencing with Section 13558) is
added to Chapter 7 of Division 7 of the Water Code, to read:

 

Article 8.  Onsite Recycled Water

 

13558.  

For the purpose of this article, “onsite recycled water”
means water, including graywater, rainwater, and other water
captured onsite, that has been sourced, treated, and used onsite in
a building in a manner that is protective of public health, safety,
and the environment. “Onsite recycled water” does not include
any water from a toilet, sewer, or onsite wastewater treatment
system or septic tank unless the state board has established
additional standards, monitoring, and reporting requirements for
that water necessary to protect public health, safety, and the
environment.

13559.  

The state board, in consultation with the State
Department of Public Health, the California Building Standards
Commission, and stakeholders, shall establish water quality
standards and distribution, monitoring, and reporting requirements
for onsite water recycling systems prior to authorizing the use of
onsite recycled water in internal plumbing of residential and
commercial buildings.

end delete