BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2208
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 9, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2208 (Perea) - As Amended: April 16, 2012
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Department of Public Health (DPH) to
combine studies and projects from multiple applicants for safe
drinking water grants in order to allow applicants to meet safe
drinking water standards in a cost-effective manner. The bill
also requires the department to give funding priority to safe
drinking water projects that consolidate services, especially in
unincorporated communities, pursuant to an adopted countywide
plan or a recommendation contained in a service review made by a
local agency formation commission (LAFCO) within the previous
five calendar years.
FISCAL EFFECT
Negligible costs to DPH.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The author intends this bill to result in DPH
funding cost-effect consolidated safe drinking water projects.
The author contends that such consolidation of drinking water
projects may result in greater cost effectiveness than could
be achieved by the projects considered separately. The author
believes such cost effectiveness could allow larger projects,
such as construction and operation of a water treatment plant,
that otherwise would be unachievable by grant recipients.
2)Background. DPH administers a safe drinking water regulatory
program for all publicly and privately owned water systems of
15 or more service connections. The department administers the
Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund, which provides loans and
AB 2208
Page 2
grants to local agencies for safe drinking water system
upgrades. The fund receives federal monies, for which the
state must provide a 20% match.
Current law encourages consolidation of public drinking water
systems to help address water contamination. Chapter, 614,
Statutes of 2007 directs DPH to prioritize funding of water
projects in disadvantaged communities and to promote, provide
funds for studies on, and prioritize funding for, projects
that consolidate small public water systems in certain
situations.
3)Related Legislation.
a) AB 2238 (Perea) requires LAFCOs to examine drinking
water and waste treatment service consolidation as part of
a LAFCO's local agency service review. AB 2238 is pending
before this committee.
b) AB 2334 (Fong) requires the Department of Water
Resources to analyze how drinking water and wastewater
services could be made more affordable for low-income
residents. AB 2334 is pending before this committee.
c) AB 2529 (Wieckowski) allows DPH to adopt interim
regulations and take other actions to expedite the process
of providing funds for drinking water projects, especially
to severely disadvantaged communities. AB 2529 is pending
before this committee.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081