BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1187
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Date of Hearing: May 11, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1187 (Fong) - As Introduced: February 18, 2011
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to
include the Safe Drinking Water Plan in updates of the
California Water Plan, which is to include assumptions and
estimates about current and projected unmet safe drinking water
needs. The bill also requires DWR to contract with the
Department of Public Health (DPH) to incorporate the Drinking
Water Plan in updates of the Water Plan.
FISCAL EFFECT
Ongoing annual costs to DWR of $150,000 to $300,000-equivalent
to one-to-two sanitary engineer positions-to contract with DPH
to create and update the drinking water plan and to integrate
the plan into the five-year updates of the California Water
Plan. (GF)
(DWR indicates that its Proposition 84 drinking water funds are
nearing exhaustion and will not be available to pay for these
contracting costs.)
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author notes numerous California communities,
many of them rural and economically disadvantaged, lack access
to safe, clean drinking water. The author contends inclusion
of information on safe drinking water needs in the California
Water Plan will facilitate broader, regional, and therefore,
more effective solutions to California's drinking water
problems.
AB 1187
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2)Background.
a) California Water Plan. DWR is legally required to
update the California Water Plan every five years. The
plan presents basic data and information on California's
water resources, including water supply evaluations and
assessments of agricultural, urban, and environmental water
uses to quantify the gap between water supplies and uses.
The plan also identifies and evaluates existing and
proposed statewide demand management and water supply
augmentation programs and projects to address the State's
water needs. DWR last updated the plan in 2009 and plans
it next update for 2013.
b) Safe Drinking Water Plan. Statute requires DPH to
update the Drinking Water Plan every five years. The
Drinking Water Plan must include, among other subjects, an
analysis of the overall quality of California's drinking
water; identification of specific water quality problems
and the types and levels of contaminants found in public
drinking water systems; an analysis of the known and
potential health risks that may be associated with drinking
water contamination; an evaluation of how existing water
quality information systems currently maintained by local
or state agencies can be more effectively used to protect
drinking water; and an analysis of the current cost of
drinking water paid by residential, business, and
industrial consumers based on a statewide survey of large,
medium, and small public water systems.
Despite statutory requirements, DPH has not updated the
plan since 1993 because, according to the department, it
has not received funding to update the plan.
3)Support. This bill is supported by a long list of
conservation, environmental justice and social justice groups.
4)There is no registered opposition to the bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081