BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 2022 (Gordon) - Advanced purified water
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|Version: March 31, 2016 |Policy Vote: E.Q. 7 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: June 27, 2016 |Consultant: Narisha Bonakdar |
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This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
Bill
Summary:(1) AB 2022 authorizes the operator of an advanced water
purification facility (facility) to bottle and distribute
advanced purified water (water) as samples for educational
purposes, under specified conditions.
Fiscal Impact:
Approximately $140,000 annually (Drinking Water Fund) for the
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to oversee
purification facilities, some or all of which may be offset by
fees assessed on the purification facilities.
Background:
Recycled water: Recycled water is former wastewater that is
treated to remove solids and impurities, and used for a direct
beneficial purpose such as agricultural and landscape
irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and
replenishing groundwater basins. According the US Environmental
AB 2022 (Gordon) Page 1 of
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Protection Agency, recycled water can satisfy most water
demands, as long as it is adequately treated to ensure water
quality appropriate for the use. Water recycling can also
provide environmental benefits by decreasing the diversion of
water from sensitive ecosystems, decreasing wastewater
discharges, and reducing and preventing pollution.
State water recycling policy: In 2009, the SWRCB adopted
Resolution No. 2009-0011 to update the state's water recycling
policy. This policy states the goal of increasing the use of
recycled water in the state over 2002 levels by at least 1
million acre feet per year by 2020 and by at least 2 million
acre feet per year by 2030.
SWRCB has convened and is currently working with an expert panel
to study the feasibility of direct potable reuse of recycled
water. The panel is expected to release the report by December
31, 2016.
Recycled water for direct consumption: In California, SWRCB's
Division of Drinking Water (DDW), in conjunction with the
appropriate Regional Water Quality Control Boards, is
responsible for evaluating the treatment, production,
distribution, and use of recycled water. The SWRCB has not
approved the use of any recycled water, including advanced
purified drinking water, for direct potable reuse.
Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS): Orange
County's GWRS is the world's largest advanced water purification
system for potable reuse, producing about 100 million gallons a
day of highly purified potable water. GWRS has been operational
since January 2008. Treated water samples are currently offered
to visitors, though they cannot be provided offsite.
Proposed Law: This bill:
1)Authorizes the operator of a facility to bottle (up to eight
ounces) and distribute the water if it meets or exceeds all
federal and state drinking water standards and goals.
2)Establishes bottling and labeling requirements.
AB 2022 (Gordon) Page 2 of
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3)Prohibits a facility from bottling more than 1,000 gallons of
water per calendar year.
4)Requires the facility operator to establish a collection and
recycling program for distributed bottles.
5)Specifies that a violation of these provisions does not
constitute a crime, but clarifies that the bill does not
exempt a facility from any federal standard for bottling
water.
Related Legislation:
SB 322 (Hueso, Chapter 637, Statutes of 2013) added additional
requirements to the investigation and expert panel requirements
in SB 918 (Pavley, Chapter 700, Statutes of 2010).
SB 918 (Pavley, Chapter 700, Statutes of 2010) required
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to adopt uniform
water recycling criteria for indirect potable water reuse for
groundwater recharge by December 31, 2013; to develop and adopt
uniform water recycling criteria for surface water augmentation
by December 31, 2016; and, to investigate and report on the
feasibility of developing uniform water recycling criteria for
direct potable reuse. (The responsibility for recycled water has
since been shifted to the SWRCB.)
Staff
Comments: This bill would exempt bottled water from the CDPH's
statutory and regulatory requirements designed to ensure the
safety of bottled water. Bottling plants that handle treated
wastewater would fall under the SWRCB's jurisdiction as a public
water system. (A public water system serves more than 25 people
per day, more than 60 days per year.)
The SWRCB would have to oversee purification facilities. Staff
would be required to develop program guidance with input from
stakeholders, industry and the public; provide initial review
and approval of bottlers' proposed treatment, control, and
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monitoring processes; review weekly and monthly monitoring
reports on facility performance from analytical laboratories;
inspect purification facilities two times per year scheduled,
and two times per year unscheduled; and conduct independent
sampling for submittal to the SWRCB contract lab as check
sampling.
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