BILL NUMBER: SB 672 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Cox
FEBRUARY 27, 2009
An act to add Section 527.1 to the Water Code, relating to the
South Tahoe Public Utilities District.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 672, as introduced, Cox. South Lake Tahoe Public Utilities
District: water meters.
Existing law requires an urban water supplier to install water
meters on all municipal and industrial service connections located
within its service area on or before January 1, 2025. Existing law
requires an urban water supplier to charge each customer that has a
service connection for which a meter has been installed based on the
actual volume of deliveries as measured by the water meter beginning
on or before January 1, 2010.
This bill, with regard to the South Tahoe Public Utilities
District, would extend that January 1, 2025, date to January 1, 2035,
and that January 1, 2010, date to January 1, 2020. The bill would
set forth related declarations and findings, including findings and
declarations relating to the need for special legislation.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The South Tahoe Public Utilities District currently has one of
the lowest per capita water usages in the State of California.
(b) The district has taken a number of steps to conserve water in
its service area including all of the following:
(1) The district has implemented a water conservation rebate
program for low-flow toilets, fixtures, dishwashers, tankless water
heaters, and front loading washing machines.
(2) The district has a full-time water conservation specialist on
staff.
(3) The district employs three full-time "water educators" during
the summer months to educate district water customers and enforce the
district's water conservation program.
(4) The district has initiated a "turf buy-back" program that has
resulted, to date, in the savings of one million gallons of water
annually.
(c) Conserved water from the district does not flow into the
California watershed.
(d) Due to grading requirements established by the Tahoe Regional
Planning Agency, water meters may only be installed from May 2 to
October 14 each year. This construction window is shorter than those
in the rest of California and impacts the district's ability to meet
the current statutory metering deadline.
(e) Meeting the current statutory deadline is cost prohibitive due
to a water main improvement project. The water main improvement
project is necessary to protect the Tahoe National Forest from fire.
(f) Forest fire is a clear and present danger to the Lake Tahoe
Basin. The Angora Fire of 2007 damaged property and the environment.
(g) Waterline retrofit is essential to forest protection and to
protect Lake Tahoe's clarity.
(h) The district has identified over 185,000 lineal feet of
waterlines that cannot provide sufficient flows for fire suppression.
SEC. 2. Section 527.1 is added to the Water Code, to read:
527.1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the South
Tahoe Public Utilities District shall do both of the following:
(a) Meet the requirements set forth in paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 527 on or before January 1, 2035.
(b) Meet the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 527 on or before January
1, 2020.
SEC. 3. The Legislature finds and declares that this act, which is
applicable only to the South Lake Tahoe Public Utilities District,
is necessary because of the unique and special water problems in the
area included in that district. It is, therefore, hereby declared
that a general law within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of
the California Constitution cannot be made applicable to the district
and the enactment of this special law is necessary for the
conservation, development, control, and use of that water for the
public good.