Amended in Senate April 16, 2015

Senate BillNo. 552


Introduced by Senator Wolk

February 26, 2015


An act to add Section 116325.5 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 552, as amended, Wolk. Public water systems: disadvantaged communities: drinking water standards.

Existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act, requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health, including, but not limited to, conducting research, studies, and demonstration programs relating to the provision of a dependable, safe supply of drinking water, enforcing the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, adoption of enforcement regulations, and conducting studies and investigations to assess the quality of water in domestic water supplies. Existing law requires the state board to ensure that all public water systems are operated in compliance with the act.

This bill would require, by January 1, 2017, the state board to develop abegin delete plan, including enforcement mechanisms,end deletebegin insert report identifying specific funding and enforcement mechanisms necessaryend insert to ensurebegin delete thatend delete disadvantaged communities have water systems that are in compliance with state and federal drinking water standards. The bill would require thebegin delete planend deletebegin insert reportend insert to identifybegin delete strategies to helpend deletebegin insert specific legislative and administrative actions necessary toend insert bring disadvantaged communities into compliance with safe drinking water standards.

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

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

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) An estimated 500 public water systems in disadvantaged
4communities rely on, and have to pay high rates for, sources of
5drinking water that do not meet state and federal safe drinking
6water standards.

7(b) Although funding sources are available to assist
8disadvantaged communities with needed capital improvements,
9these communities often lack governance infrastructure, technical
10expertise, and the ability to pay for the ongoing operations and
11maintenance costs necessary to continue to meet the state and
12federal drinking water standards.

13

SEC. 2.  

Section 116325.5 is added to the Health and Safety
14Code
, to read:

15

116325.5.  

(a) On or before January 1, 2017, the State Water
16Resources Control Board shall develop abegin delete plan, includingend deletebegin insert report
17identifying specific funding andend insert
enforcementbegin delete mechanisms, to ensure
18thatend delete
begin insert mechanisms necessary to ensureend insert disadvantaged communities
19have water systems that are in compliance with state and federal
20drinking water standards.

21(b) Thebegin delete plan shall identify strategies to helpend deletebegin insert report shall identify
22specific legislative and administrative actions necessary toend insert
bring
23the disadvantaged communities into compliance with safe drinking
24water standards, including the following:

begin delete

25(1) Improved, effective governance structure.

end delete
begin delete

26(2) Access to technical assistance.

end delete
begin delete

27(3) Implementation of capital improvements.

end delete
begin insert

28(1) Mechanisms for identification of the specific issues and
29solutions for each community and any specific state or local
30authority that is necessary to address these issues.

end insert
begin delete

31(4)Sources

end delete

32begin insert(2)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertIdentification of available, and any recommended new,
33sourcesend insert
of revenue to fund ongoing operations and maintenance
34costsbegin insert or any other costs associated with providing water at an
35affordable rateend insert
.

begin insert

P3    1(3) Other recommendations for specific actions or authorities
2necessary to address drinking water needs for these communities.

end insert


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