AB 1925, as amended, Chang. Desalination: statewide goal.
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 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 wouldbegin insert require the department toend insert establish a goalbegin delete to desalinate
300,000end deletebegin insert of a specific number ofend insert acre-feet of drinking waterbegin insert to be desalinatedend insert per year by the year 2025 andbegin delete 500,000end deletebegin insert of a greater specific number ofend insert acre-feet of drinking waterbegin insert to be desalinatedend insert per year by the yearbegin delete 2030.end deletebegin insert 2030, as part of a comprehensive water plan that fully evaluates other, specified options.end insert
Vote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) The State of California is subject to periodic drought
4conditions and is currently in the fourth year of the most recent
5drought.
6(b) The competing demands for traditional water resources have
7demonstrated that new drinking water supply options need to be
8added to support the California economy and the public health and
9safety of all Californians.
10(c) There is an immediate need for safe, clean, and reliable new
11drinking water to provide local and regional water
suppliers all
12available water supply options to meet their local or regional
13drinking water supply needs.
14(d) The Governor’s Water Action Plan encourages the state to
15maximize local and regional water supply development and calls
16for the streamlining of the permitting process for desalination and
17recycling of water.
18(e) The policy of the State of California is to reduce its
19dependence on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
20(f) Desalinated water is an important and reliable source for
21meeting total water demand. Continued and expanded production
22and distribution of desalinated water for beneficial and permitted
23uses can improve regional self-reliance by meeting a portion of
24future increased total drinking water
demands.
Section 12946.5 is added to the Water Code, to read:
begin deleteThis section establishes end deletebegin insertBy July 1, 2017, the
27department shall establish end inserta statewide goalbegin delete to desalinate end deletebegin delete 300,000end delete
28begin insert of a specific number ofend insert acre-feet of drinking waterbegin insert to be desalinatedend insert
29 per year by the year 2025 andbegin delete 500,000end deletebegin insert
of a greater specific number
30ofend insert acre-feet of drinking waterbegin insert to be desalinatedend insert per year by the
31year 2030.begin insert This goal shall be pursued as part of a comprehensive
32water plan that fully evaluates other options, including recycled
P3 1water, conservation, stormwater capture, groundwater recharge,
2and water efficiency.end insert
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