BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 552 (Wolk) - Public water systems: disadvantaged communities:
drinking water standards.
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|Version: April 16, 2015 |Policy Vote: E.Q. 6 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: May 11, 2015 |Consultant: Marie Liu |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 552 would require the State Water Resources Control
Board (board) to develop a report by January 1, 2017 that
identifies necessary steps to ensure that disadvantaged
communities have water systems that are in compliance with
federal and state drinking water standards.
Fiscal
Impact:
One-time costs of $280,000 from the Safe Drinking Water
Account (special) to the board to create the required report.
Unknown cost pressures, likely in the millions of dollars, to
the Safe Drinking Water Account (special) to implement the
report.
Background: In 1993, the California Department of Health Services (now the
Department of Public Health, DPH) submitted to the Legislature
SB 552 (Wolk) Page 1 of
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the report entitled, "Drinking Water into the 21st Century: Safe
Drinking Water Plan for California" (1993 Plan). In 1996, the
Legislature enacted SB 1307 (Calderon), Chapter 755, Statutes of
1996, requiring a periodic update of the original Plan.
DPH assembled a team of experts that conducted extensive reviews
and analyses, resulting in a draft plan that included an
overview of drinking water regulation, reviews and plans for
drinking water quality/monitoring and threats, treatment
technologies, funding aspects and financial assistance, and a
focus on the challenges faced by small drinking water systems.
Following the July 1, 2014 transition of the Drinking Water
Program to the board, the draft plan's recommendations and
implementation plan has been enhanced based on the synergies and
resources resulting from incorporation of the program into
board.
The Safe Drinking Water Plan for California includes the board's
assessment of the overall quality of the state's drinking water,
the identification of specific water quality problems, an
analysis of the known and potential health risks that may be
associated with drinking water contamination in California, and
specific recommendations to improve drinking water quality. The
final version of the plan is due to be released within the next
few months.
Proposed Law:
This bill would require the board to develop a report with the
following information to ensure that disadvantaged communities
have water systems that are in compliance with state and federal
drinking water standards:
Necessary funding mechanisms, including for ongoing operations
and maintenance costs.
Necessary enforcement mechanisms.
Methods to identify specific issues and solutions for
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individual communities.
The board would be required to identify specific legislative and
administrative actions necessary to enable these mechanisms.
The report would be due January 1, 2017.
Staff
Comments: The draft Safe Drinking Water Plan gives an overview
of drinking water regulation, reviews and plans for drinking
water quality and monitoring, treatment technologies, funding
aspects and financial assistance. However, the plan does not
have specific recommendations on how to provide for operation
and maintenance costs, which is one of the greatest barriers for
small, disadvantaged communities to access clean drinking water.
This bill would require the board to identify such funding
mechanisms as well as legislative and administrative actions
necessary to implement such mechanisms.
Based on the cost of developing the Safe Drinking Water Plan,
the board estimates that the report required by this bill will
require a one-time cost of $280,000 for 2 PYs to conduct the
necessary stakeholder outreach and research. As the plan will
have specific recommendations for legislative and administrative
action, this bill will also likely create cost pressures to
implement the plan.
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