BILL ANALYSIS
SB 283
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Date of Hearing: June 16, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Jared William Huffman, Chair
SB 283 (DeSaulnier) - As Amended: May 12, 2009
SENATE VOTE : 35-1
SUBJECT : Building Standards: recycled water systems
SUMMARY : Extends deadline and allows greater flexibility for
Department of Water Resources (DWR) to recommend changes to
plumbing regulations for recycled water piping. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Extends the date the DWR is required to submit regulations to
the Building Standards Commission (BSC) to establish a version
of Appendix J of the Uniform Plumbing Code for California for
design standards for both potable and recycled water systems
from July 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009.
2)Requires DWR, commencing July 1, 2011, and annually
thereafter, to review and update, as necessary, the
regulations.
3)Repeals limitation on DWR fulfilling this requirement only if
the Legislature appropriates funding.
4)Allows DWR to adopt and submit the proposed regulations to BSC
without first obtaining approval from the California Water
Commission.
5)Takes effect immediately, as an urgency bill.
EXISTING LAW
1)Requires DWR, on or before July 1, 2008 and in consultation
with Department of Public Health (DPH), to adopt and submit to
the Building Standards Commission (BSC) regulations to
establish a version of Appendix J of the Uniform Plumbing Code
for California for design standards for both potable and
recycled water systems (Water Code Section 13557).
2)Requires DWR to obtain Water Commission approval before
adoption of regulations.
SB 283
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3)Provides that use of potable domestic water for toilet and
urinal flushing in structures is a waste or an unreasonable
use of water if recycled water, for this use, is available to
the residents and determined by the state board after notice
and a hearing.
FISCAL EFFECT : Senate Appropriations Committee Chair
determined that state costs were not significant, pursuant to
Senate Rule 28.8.
COMMENTS : State law sets a statewide target of 1 million
acre-feet of recycled water use by 2010. Despite state and
local efforts, recycled water use now stands at approximately
600,000 acre feet. According to the Recycled Water Task Force,
California has the potential to recycle up to 1.5 million
acre-feet per year of water by the year 2030. In recent years,
the Legislature has passed various bills to encourage recycled
water, including AB 371 (Goldberg) of 2006, which required DWR
to adopt standard regulations for designing and installing
piping for recycled water (AKA "purple pipe"). This bill would
extend the deadline for completing those purple-pipe
regulations. Such regulations would make it easier for plumbers
to install purple pipe, thereby encouraging and making recycled
water more widely available.
DWR has not developed the recycled-water piping regulations,
citing budget and staffing constraints. According to the
author, DWR began workshops, this year, on the indoor recycled
water standards, in cooperation with the Build Standards
Commission's 2009 code adoption cycle. In the Senate, DWR
requested an exemption from the legal requirement that it obtain
California Water Commission approval of regulations, because the
Water Commission currently has no members appointed. With the
enactment of this urgency bill, DWR would have until the end of
this year to submit those regulations to the Building Standards
Commission.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Irvine Ranch Water District (Sponsor)
Association of CA Water Agencies
SB 283
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CA Association of Sanitation Agencies
CA Building Industry Association
CA Municipal Utilities Association
CA Special Districts Association
CA State Pipe Trades Council
East Bay Municipal Water District
Eastern Municipal Water District
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal.
Municipal Water District of Orange County
Orange County Business Council
Planning and Conservation League
Southern California Water Committee
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
WaterReuse California
Western Municipal Water District
Opposition :None submitted
Analysis Prepared by : Alf W. Brandt / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096