Senate BillNo. 551


Introduced by Senator Wolk

February 26, 2015


An act to add Section 110 to the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 551, as introduced, Wolk. State water policy: water and energy efficiency.

The California Constitution requires the reasonable and beneficial use of water. Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable.

Existing law, the Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation Development Act, declares, among other things, that electrical and natural gas utilities should have as a principal goal of their resource planning and investment to minimize the cost to society of reliable energy services, improve the environment, and encourage the diversity of energy sources. The act also declares that those utilities should seek to exploit all practicable and cost-effective conservation and improvements in the efficiency of energy use and distribution that offer equivalent or better system of reliability.

This bill would declare the policy of the state that water use and water treatment shall be as energy efficient as is feasible and energy use and generation shall be as water efficient as is feasible. This bill would require all relevant state agencies to consider this state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria when pertinent to these uses of water and energy.

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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SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) Water and energy are vital to California’s economy.

4(b) Water and energy resources in California are inextricably
5connected.

6(c) Energy generation can be water intensive.

7(d) Transportation and treatment of water, treatment and disposal
8of wastewater, and the energy used to heat and consume water
9account for nearly 20 percent of the total electricity and 30 percent
10of the nonpowerplant-related natural gas consumed in California.

11(e) Targeted water efficiency measures, therefore, are likely to
12result in significant energy savings and targeted energy efficiency
13measures may result in water savings.

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SEC. 2.  

Section 110 is added to the Water Code, to read:

15

110.  

(a) It is hereby declared to be the established policy of
16the state that water use and water treatment shall be as energy
17efficient as is feasible and energy use and generation shall be as
18water efficient as is feasible.

19(b) All relevant state agencies shall consider this state policy
20when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and
21grant criteria when those policies, regulations, and criteria are
22pertinent to the uses of water and energy described in this section.

23(c) The implementation of this section shall not infringe on the
24rights or responsibilities of any public water system or public
25utility.



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