Senate BillNo. 768


Introduced by Senator Wieckowski

February 27, 2015


An act to amend Section 1101.1 of the Civil Code, relating to water conservation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 768, as introduced, Wieckowski. Water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

Existing law requires the replacement of plumbing fixtures that are not water conserving, as defined as noncompliant plumbing fixtures, in residential and commercial real property built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994, as specified. Existing law provides findings and declarations regarding these requirements, including that there is a pressing need to address water supply reliability issues caused by growing urban areas.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these findings and declarations.

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

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

P1    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 1101.1 of the Civil Code is amended to
2read:

3

1101.1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

4(a) Adequate water supply reliability for all uses is essential to
5the future economic and environmental health of California.

P2    1(b) Environmentally sound strategies to meet future water supply
2and wastewater treatment needs are key to protecting and restoring
3aquatic resources in California.

4(c) There is a pressing need to address water supply reliability
5issuesbegin delete raisedend deletebegin insert causedend insert by growing urban areas.

6(d) Economic analysis by urban water agencies has identified
7urban water conservation as a cost-effective approach to addressing
8water supply needs.

9(e) There are many water conservation practices that produce
10significant energy and other resource savings that should be
11encouraged as a matter of state policy.

12(f) Since the 1991 signing of the “Memorandum of
13Understanding Regarding Urban Water Conservation in
14California,” many urban water and wastewater treatment agencies
15have gained valuable experience that can be applied to produce
16significant statewide savings of water, energy, and associated
17infrastructure costs. This experience indicates a need to regularly
18revise and update water conservation methodologies and practices.

19(g) To address these concerns, it is the intent of the Legislature
20to require that residential and commercial real property built and
21available for use or occupancy on or before January 1, 1994, be
22equipped with water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

23(h) It is further the intent of the Legislaturebegin delete thatend deletebegin insert to encourageend insert
24 retail water suppliersbegin delete are encouragedend delete to provide incentives,
25financing mechanisms, and funding to assist property owners with
26these retrofit obligations.



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