AB 1871, as introduced, Waldron. Desalination.
Existing law, the Cobey-Porter Saline Water Conversion Law, states the policy of this state that desalination projects developed by or for public water entities be given the same opportunities for state assistance and funding as other water supply and reliability projects, and that desalination be consistent with all applicable environmental protection policies in the state. The law provides that is it the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Water Resources shall undertake to find economic and efficient methods of desalting saline water so that desalted water may be made available to help meet the growing water requirements of the state.
This bill would provide that it is the intention of the Legislature that when a state agency considers an application relating to desalination that the agency, when considering alternatives, should consider the cost of those alternatives in order to ensure that project financing does not become significantly more expensive or difficult.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 12947 of the Water Code is amended to
2read:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the growing
4water needs of the state require the development ofbegin delete cost effectiveend delete
5begin insert cost-effectiveend insert and efficient water supply technologies. Desalination
6technology is now feasible to help provide significant new water
7supplies from seawater, brackish water, and reclaimed water.
8Desalination technology can also provide an effective means of
9treating some types of contamination in water supplies.
10Desalination is consistent with both state water supply and
11efficiency policy goals, and joint state-federal environmental and
12water policy and principles promoted by the
Cal-Fed Bay Delta
13Program.
14(b) It is the policy of this state that desalination projects
15developed by or for public water entities be given the same
16opportunities for state assistance and funding as other water supply
17and reliability projects, and that desalination be consistent with all
18applicable environmental protection policies in the state.
19(c) It is the intention of the Legislature that the department shall
20undertake to find economic and efficient methods of desalting
21saline water so that desalted water may be made available to help
22meet the growing water requirements of the state.
23(d) It is the intention of the Legislature that when a state agency
24considers an application relating to desalination that the agency,
25when
considering alternatives, should consider the cost of those
26alternatives in order to ensure that project financing does not
27become significantly more expensive or difficult.
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