BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1398
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 10, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 1398
(Leyva) - As Amended June 30, 2016
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Policy |Environmental Safety and Toxic |Vote:|5 - 1 |
|Committee: |Materials | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires a public water system (PWS) to identify and
replace lead plumbing. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires a PWS to compile an inventory of known lead service
lines in its distribution system and identify areas with
potential lead service lines by July 1, 2018.
2)Requires a PWS, after completing the inventory, to provide the
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) with a timeline
for replacement of the known lead service lines.
SB 1398
Page 2
3)Requires, by July 1, 2020, a PWS with areas that may have lead
service lines, to make a determination and report to SWRCB or
provide a timeline for the replacement of pipes, tubings, and
fittings that connect to a water main, water meter or service
connection, if the content cannot be determined.
4)Requires the SWRCB to approve or deny a PWS replacement
timeline, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Additional SWRCB costs are not significant, and likely
absorbable.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, neither current federal nor
state law requires water districts to report locations of lead
service pipes. This bill will help reduce public health risks
by enhancing public knowledge and setting a plan in motion to
remove all lead from public water systems.
2)Background. Lead has been listed under California's
Proposition 65 since 1987 as a substance that can cause
reproductive damage and birth defects and has been listed as a
chemical known to cause cancer since 1992. According to the
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), lead
has multiple toxic effects on the human body. In particular,
decreased intelligence in children and increased blood
pressure in adults are among the more serious non-carcinogenic
effects. There is no level that has been proven safe, either
SB 1398
Page 3
for children or for adults. The most prevalent sources of
lead in drinking water are from pipes, fixtures, and
associated hardware from which the lead can leach.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081