Amended in Assembly May 27, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 14, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2617


Introduced by Assembly Member Mayes

February 19, 2016


An act to add Chapterbegin delete 7.8 (commencing with Section 25685) to Division 15 of the Public Resourcesend deletebegin insert 3.8 (commencing with Section 390) to Division 1 of the Waterend insert Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2617, as amended, Mayes. Water efficiency measures.

The California Constitution requires that the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable and that the waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable method of use of water be prevented.begin delete Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), on a biennial basis, to conduct assessments and forecasts of all aspects of energy industry supply, production, transportation, delivery, and distribution. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, beginning November 1, 2003, and biennially thereafter, to adopt an integrated energy policy report containing an overview of major energy trends and issues facing the state. end delete

This bill would require thebegin delete Energy Commissionend deletebegin insert Department of Water Resourcesend insert to develop and solicit comments on a proposed report, in consultation withbegin delete certainend delete subject matterbegin delete experts and in cooperation withend deletebegin insert experts at the University of California, the California State University,end insert the State Water Resources Controlbegin delete Board and the Department of Water Resources,end deletebegin insert Board, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, and local water districts,end insert by December 1, 2017, and, by July 1, 2018, to issue a final report that contains, among other things,begin delete the projected benefits of recommended voluntary water efficiency measures and an analysis of any unintended adverse environmental impacts that would result from various water efficiency measures.end deletebegin insert recommendations to public entities to help them achieve water-resilient communities and prioritize cost-effective water efficiency measures with low adverse environmental impacts based on local conditions.end insert

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

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

P2    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert

begin insertChapter 3.8 (commencing with Section 390) is
2added to Division 1 of the end insert
begin insertWater Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert

begin insert

3 

4Chapter  begin insert3.8.end insert Cost-Effective Water Conservation
5Measures
6

 

7

begin insert390.end insert  

It is the intent of the Legislature to promote water-resilient
8communities by having the state identify the relative
9cost-effectiveness of water efficiency measures and recommend
10those that have the potential to cost-effectively achieve the greatest
11reduction in water use, taking into consideration local conditions,
12and to produce net environmental benefits that outweigh any
13adverse environmental impacts.

14

begin insert391.end insert  

As used in this chapter:

15
(a) “Adverse environmental impacts” include, but are not
16limited to, impacts on climate change, net effects on carbon
17sequestration, increased erosion, and impacts to stormwater runoff.

18
(b) “Evapotranspiration” means a loss of water from the soil,
19including losses resulting from evaporation and losses resulting
20from transpiration from the plants growing on the soil.

21
(c) “Highly efficient consumer appliances and landscape
22systems” include, but are not limited to, irrigation systems, toilets,
23showers, pool covers, and clothes washers.

P3    1
(d) “Public entity” has the same meaning as defined in Section
2375.

3
(e) “Turfgrass” means any living grass that is used in fields or
4yards at a residential or commercial property, private park, athletic
5field, or public school.

6

begin insert392.end insert  

By December 1, 2017, the department, in consultation
7with persons that include, but are not limited to, subject matter
8experts at the University of California, the California State
9University, the board, the State Energy Resources Conservation
10and Development Commission, and local water districts, shall
11develop and solicit comments on a proposed report that contains
12all of the following:

13
(a) An analysis of the relative costs and benefits of incentives
14for various water efficiency measures, including the consideration
15of the impact of evapotranspiration rates in different hydrological
16regions of the state. The water efficiency measures considered
17shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

18
(1) Turfgrass removal and replacement with either
19drought-resistant turfgrass or artificial turf.

20
(2) Turfgrass removal and replacement with native or
21drought-tolerant plants.

22
(3) Non-native or high water using plant removal and
23replacement with native or drought-tolerant plants,
24drought-resistant turfgrass, or artificial turf.

25
(4) The use of conservation-based irrigation technology such
26as smart controllers.

27
(5) Investments in graywater infrastructure to supply water to
28outdoor landscapes.

29
(6) Rebates for highly efficient consumer appliances and
30landscape systems.

31
(b) An analysis of adverse environmental impacts that would
32result from the water efficiency measures considered pursuant to
33subdivision (a).

34
(c) The projected benefits of recommended voluntary water
35efficiency measures.

36

begin insert393.end insert  

By July 1, 2018, the department shall issue a final report
37that contains both of the following:

38
(a) All material developed pursuant to Section 392, updated as
39appropriate to further the intent of this chapter.

P4    1
(b) Recommendations to public entities to help them achieve
2water-resilient communities and prioritize cost-effective water
3efficiency measures with low adverse environmental impacts based
4on local conditions, such as education, granting incentives or
5rebates, or other voluntary measures.

end insert
begin delete
6

SECTION 1.  

Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 25685)
7is added to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

8 

9Chapter  7.8. Cost-Effective Water Efficiency Measures
10

 

11

25685.  

It is the intent of the Legislature that the state identify
12and recommend the most cost-effective water efficiency measures
13that achieve the greatest reduction in water use and produce net
14environmental benefits that outweigh any unintended adverse
15environmental impacts.

16

25686.  

As used in this chapter:

17(a) “Evapotranspiration” means a loss of water from the soil,
18including losses resulting from evaporation and losses resulting
19from transpiration from the plants growing on the soil.

20(b) “Highly efficient consumer appliances and landscape
21systems” include, but are not limited to, irrigation systems, toilets,
22showers, pool covers, and clothes washers.

23(c) “Public entity” has the same meaning as defined in Section
24375 of the Water Code.

25(d) “Turfgrass” means any living grass that is used in fields or
26yards at a residential or commercial property, private park, athletic
27field, or public school.

28(e) “Unintended adverse environmental impacts” include, but
29are not limited to, impacts on climate change, net effect on carbon
30sequestration, increased erosion, and impacts to stormwater runoff.

31

25687.  

By December 1, 2017, the commission, in consultation
32with persons that include, but are not limited to, subject matter
33experts at the University of California, the California State
34University, and local water districts, and in cooperation with the
35State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Water
36Resources, shall develop and solicit comments on a proposed report
37that contains all of the following:

38(a) An analysis of the relative costs and benefits of incentives
39for various water efficiency measures, including the consideration
40of the impact of evapotranspiration rates in different hydrological
P5    1regions of the state. The water efficiency measures considered
2shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

3(1) Turfgrass removal and replacement with either
4drought-resistant turfgrass or artificial turf.

5(2) Turfgrass removal and replacement with native or
6drought-tolerant plants.

7(3) The use of conservation-based irrigation technology such
8as smart controllers.

9(4) Investments in graywater infrastructure to supply water to
10outdoor landscapes.

11(5) Rebates for highly efficient consumer appliances and
12landscape systems.

13(b) An analysis of any unintended adverse environmental
14impacts that would result from the water efficiency measures
15considered pursuant to subdivision (a).

16(c) The projected benefits of recommended voluntary water
17efficiency measures.

18

25688.  

By July 1, 2018, the commission shall issue a final
19report that contains all of the following:

20(a) An identification of the most cost-effective incentives for
21water efficiency measures in terms of water use reduction per
22dollar spent.

23(b) Recommendations to public entities to help them prioritize
24the most cost-effective solutions for granting incentives or rebates
25for water efficiency measures.

26(c) An analysis of any unintended adverse environmental
27impacts that would result from the water efficiency measures
28considered pursuant to subdivision (a).

29(d) The projected benefits of recommended voluntary water
30efficiency measures.

end delete


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