BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 814
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Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 814
(Hill) - As Amended June 21, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill prohibits excessive water use by a residential
customer during statewide or local emergency drought conditions
and requires urban retail water suppliers to establish a method
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to identify and discourage excessive water use. Specifically,
this bill:
1)Prohibits excessive water use by residential customers in
single-family residence or in multiunit housing that is
individually metered or submetered by the urban water
supplier.
2)Requires an urban retail water supplier to establish a method
to identify and discourage excessive water use through a rate
structure or by ordinance, rule, tariff condition, or
procedure.
3)Applies specific conditions to how an ordinance, rule, tariff
condition, or procedure developed by an urban retail water
supplier must apply in fully metered service areas.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Negligible, if any state costs.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, while most Californians
have reduced their water use and face stiff penalties for
waste, there are some who use as much water as they want
without repercussions. This bill requires water districts to
have policies and penalties to target and reduce excessive
water use.
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2)Background. In response to drought, a fine of up to $500 may
be assessed for wasteful water use that includes: a) using a
hose to wash a car without an automatic shutoff valve; b)
washing down a driveway or sidewalk; c) watering outdoor
landscaped area within 48 hours of rain; watering lawns in a
manner that causes runoff; and watering outdoor landscapes on
the wrong day or time.
There are 411 urban water suppliers in the state and since
June of 2015. According to the State Resources Water Control
Board (SWRCB), an average of 8,900 penalties per month have
been issued for either water waste or drought surcharges
(charges imposed for water use over a specified volumetric
amount). Despite existing fines on typical water users, there
is no requirement for penalties on individuals who are heavy
water users.
While local agencies can prohibit excessive water use, this
bill makes it a requirement that there is a process to do so
when there are local water shortage conditions. This bill
allows local discretion in the development of the
identification and enforcement that occurs locally against
excessive water use.
While there is limited anecdotal evidence, several newspaper
articles suggest that when penalties on heavy water users have
been put in place, there has been a significant increase in
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water conservation.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081