BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 930
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 930
(Gaines) - As Amended March 28, 2016
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|Policy |Environmental Safety and Toxic |Vote:|7 - 0 |
|Committee: |Materials | | |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill extends the sunset date from 2017 to 2022, on the
conditional authorization for recreation that includes human
bodily contact at the Bear Lake Reservoir. Specifically, this
bill extends and modifies the authorization as follows:
1)Provides an exemption from the recreational bodily contact
prohibition for no more than four months per year until
January 1, 2022.
2)Requires the Lake Alpine Water Company to provide water
SB 930
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treatment in compliance with State Water Resources Control
Board (SWRCB) regulations including oxidation, filtration and
disinfection and all other state and federal laws and
regulations. Requires the disinfection to include the use of
advanced technology capable of inactivating organisms,
including viruses, cryptosporidium and giardia.
3)Requires the Lake Alpine Water Company to conduct a monitoring
program for cryptosporidium, giardia, and coliform bacteria at
the reservoir intake and post-treatment at least three times
during the period when recreational bodily contact is allowed.
Requires specified reports to SWRCB on recreational uses and
water treatment.
4)Provides the bodily contact exemption will cease if SWRCB
determines a failure to comply with the requirements of this
bill. Noncompliance is subject to fines, penalties and other
enforcement actions specified by law.
FISCAL EFFECT:
SWRCB compliance and enforcements costs are minor, and
absorbable.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, this bill is needed because
the statutory exemption allowing the Bear Lake Reservoir to
have bodily contact is going to sunset in 2017. The purpose
of this bill is to extend Bear Lake Reservoir's authorization
to allow people to both swim in the reservoir and to use the
water as a source of drinking water, with appropriate measures
to ensure its safety for drinking.
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2)Background. Current law prohibits bodily contact with bodies
of water that provide drinking water supplies because humans
shed fecal matter and other contaminants that can harm those
who drink contaminated water. The law, however, makes several
exemptions to this general prohibition, mainly to accommodate
historic recreation patterns.
Bear Lake Reservoir is a small, private alpine lake south of
Lake Tahoe and north of Yosemite. The lake is accessible only
by members of Bear Lake Residents Incorporated and their
guests. The reservoir was created and is managed by the Lake
Alpine Water Company, a private supplier of drinking water
regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.
Microorganisms such as viruses, giardia and cryptosporidium
are of special concern because traditional disinfection
methods are not as effective at treating or inactivating
organisms. This bill requires the use of advanced
technologies capable of treating these organisms.
3)Prior Legislation. SB 14 (Gaines, Chapter 172, Statutes of
2013) reinstated the conditional authorization for
recreational uses at Bear Lake Reservoir until January 1,
2017.
SB 1063 (Gaines, 2012) would have extended, until January 1,
2016, the authorization for recreational uses at Bear Lake
Reservoir if certain conditions are met. This bill was vetoed
by the Governor.
AB 1934 (Chapter 374, Statutes of 2004) authorized
recreational uses at Bear Lake Reservoir until January 1,
2007.
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Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081