BILL NUMBER: AB 685 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 11, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Eng
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Fong and V. Manuel Pérez)
(Coauthor: Senator Wolk)
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to amend Section 10540 of, and to add Section 106.3 to, the
Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 685, as amended, Eng. State water policy: regional water
management planning.
(1) Existing law establishes various state water policies,
including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is
the highest use of water.
This bill would declare that it is the established
policy of the state that every human being has the right to
clean, affordable, and accessible water for human consumption,
cooking, and sanitary purposes, that is adequate for the health and
well-being of the individual and family. The bill would require
, on and after January 1, 2012, all relevant state agencies,
including the Department of Water Resources, the State Water
Resources Control Board, the California regional water
quality control boards, and the State Department of Public
Health, to consider implement this
state policy when upon revising
existing , and upon adopting , or
establishing new, policies, regulations, and grant
criteria.
(2) The Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act of 2002
authorizes a regional water management group, as defined, to prepare
and adopt an integrated regional water management plan. The act
authorizes a regional water management group to coordinate its
planning activities to address or incorporate various actions of its
members, relating to water resource planning, into the plan.
This bill would additionally authorize a regional water management
group to coordinate its planning activities to address or
incorporate into its plan a basin plan developed and adopted by a
California regional water quality control board.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 106.3 is added to the Water Code, to read:
106.3. (a) It is
hereby declared to be the established It is the
policy of the state that every human being has the right to clean,
affordable, and accessible water for human consumption, cooking, and
sanitary purposes, that is adequate for the health and well-being of
the individual and family.
(b) All
(a) On and after January 1, 2012, all
relevant state agencies, including the department, the
state board board, the California regional water
quality control boards , and the State Department of Public
Health, shall consider this state policy when revising,
adopting, or establishing implement this policy upon
revising existing, and upon adopting or establishing new,
policies, regulations, and grant criteria.
(b) This section does not expand any obligation of the
state to provide water or to require the expenditure of additional
resources to develop water infrastructure beyond
the obligations that may exist pursuant to subdivision (b)
(a) .
(d)
(c) This section shall apply to water supplies for
individuals and not for new development.
(e) The implementation of this section shall not infringe on the
rights or responsibilities of any public water system.
(d) This section does not create or impose any additional duties
or responsibilities on any public water system.
SEC. 2. Section 10540 of the Water Code is amended to read:
10540. (a) A regional water management group may prepare and
adopt an integrated regional water management plan in accordance with
this part.
(b) A regional water management group may coordinate its planning
activities to address or incorporate all or part of any of the
following actions of its members into its plan:
(1) Groundwater management planning pursuant to Part 2.75
(commencing with Section 10750) or other specific groundwater
management authority.
(2) Urban water management planning pursuant to Part 2.6
(commencing with Section 10610).
(3) The preparation of a water supply assessment required pursuant
to Part 2.10 (commencing with Section 10910).
(4) Agricultural water management planning pursuant to Part 2.8
(commencing with Section 10800).
(5) City and county general planning pursuant to Section 65350 of
the Government Code.
(6) Stormwater resource planning that is undertaken pursuant to
Part 2.3 (commencing with Section 10560).
(7) A basin plan developed and adopted pursuant to Section 13240.
(8) Other water resource management planning, including flood
protection, watershed management planning, and multipurpose program
planning.
(c) At a minimum, all plans shall address all of the following:
(1) Protection and improvement of water supply reliability,
including identification of feasible agricultural and urban water use
efficiency strategies.
(2) Identification and consideration of the drinking water quality
of communities within the area of the plan.
(3) Protection and improvement of water quality within the area of
the plan, consistent with the relevant basin plan.
(4) Identification of any significant threats to groundwater
resources from overdrafting.
(5) Protection, restoration, and improvement of stewardship of
aquatic, riparian, and watershed resources within the region.
(6) Protection of groundwater resources from contamination.
(7) Identification and consideration of the water-related needs of
disadvantaged communities in the area within the boundaries of the
plan.
(d) This section does not obligate a local agency to fund the
implementation of any project or program.