HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.c. Receive update on Assembly Bill (AB) 1668/Senate Bill (SB) 606 Water Use Efficiency Legislation Page 1 of 3
Item 4.c.
CENTRAL SAN
April 20, 2020
TO: REAL ESTATE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PLANNING COMMITTEE
FROM: MELODY LABELLA, RESOURCE RECOVERY PROGRAM MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: JEAN-MARC PETIT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL
SERVICES
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: RECEIVE UPDATE ON ASSEMBLY BILL (AB) 1668/SENATE BILL (SB) 606
WATER USE EFFICIENCY LEGISLATION
Staff is providing this update on AB 1668 and SB 606 in response to the Real Estate, Environmental and
Planning (REEP) Committee members' prior requests for information on these bills and howtheywill
affect per capita consumption and Central San overall.
On May 31, 2018, former Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 1668 and SB 606. These companion
bills were designed to overhaul California's approach to conserving water and adopted in response to
Governor Brown's 2016 Executive Order that called for making water conservation a "way of life" in
California. These water conservation laws establish guidelines for efficient water use and a framework for
the implementation and oversight of the new standards, which must be in place by June 30, 2022. Key
provisions of these bills included:
• Establishing water use objectives and long-term standards for efficient water use that apply to urban
retail water suppliers, comprised of indoor residential water use, outdoor residential water use,
commercial, industrial and institutional irrigation with dedicated meters, water loss, and other unique
local uses.
• Providing incentives for water suppliers to recycle water.
Of particular interest is that these laws set an indoor water use standard of 55 gallons per person per day
until January 1, 2025, when the standard drops to 52.5 gallons per person per day until January 1, 2030,
when the standard drops to 50 gallons per person per day. These reductions in indoor water usage have
the potential to impact the ability of Central San's collection system to convey solids to the Treatment Plant
and reduce the amount of wastewater Central San has available to recycle. Fortunately, these bills included
a provision that requires the Department of Water Resources (DW R)to complete a study and evaluation
by January 1, 2021, to analyze the benefits and impacts of how changing these standards will impact water
and wastewater management. Should the study results find that these standards will cause a negative
impact, these bills allow for DW R to recommend different indoor water use standards to the
Legislature. WateReuse California (WRCA) recently issued a memo (see Attachment 1) on the subject to
notify members that the DW R's Water Use and Efficiency Branch is beginning this study and request any
existing studies or information from W RCA members that can assist with the DW R study.
As further information is developed on this issue, staff will update the Committee.
April 20, 2020 REEP Committee Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 16 of 22
Page 2 of 3
ATTACHMENTS:
1. W RCA Memo
April 20, 2020 REEP Committee Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 17 of 22
Page 3 of 3
WATE REUSE
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM
TO: WRCA Leg-Reg and Interested Parties
WRCA Board of Trustees
FROM: Charles LaSalle
DATE: March 6, 2020
RE: DWR Study on Reduced Flows Impacts: RW/Wastewater
The water use efficiency measures (AB 1668/SB 606), require DWR by January 1, 2021 DWR to complete
a study and develop a report on the impacts of the indoor residential water use standard at 55 GPCD.
Additionally, this study will evaluate the impacts of how the changing standard for indoor residential
water use will impact recycled water and wastewater management, among other considerations (See
full study language below).
The Water Use and Efficiency Branch at DWR is beginning this study. DWR has asked for WRCA help to
obtain any existing agency studies, or studies in progress,that assess how reduced wastewater flows
impacts recycled water, wastewater and water infrastructure. If your agency has a study, or less formal
information on this subject that can assist DWR, please let me know and/or send the information to me
at WRCA. I would like to provide DWR with as much information as possible from agencies by the
beginning of April. Thank you in advance for your help.
Section 10609.4.
(a) (1) Until January 1, 2025, the standard for indoor residential water use shall be 55 gallons per
capita daily.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2025, and until January 1, 2030, the standard for indoor residential water
use shall be the greater of 52.5 gallons per capita daily or a standard recommended pursuant to
subdivision (b).
(3) Beginning January 1, 2030, the standard for indoor residential water use shall be the greater of
50 gallons per capita daily or a standard recommended pursuant to subdivision (b).
(b) (1)The department, in coordination with the board, shall conduct necessary studies and
investigations and may jointly recommend to the Legislature a standard for indoor residential water
use that more appropriately reflects best practices for indoor residential water use than the standard
described in subdivision (a). A report on the results of the studies and investigations shall be made
to the chairpersons of the relevant policy committees of each house of the Legislature by January 1,
2021, and shall include information necessary to support the recommended standard, if there is one.
The studies and investigations shall also include an analysis of the benefits and impacts of how the
changing standard for indoor residential water use will impact water and wastewater management,
including potable water usage, wastewater, recycling and reuse systems, infrastructure, operations,
and supplies.
(2)The studies, investigations,and report described in paragraph (1)shall include collaboration with,
and input from, a broad group of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, environmental groups,
experts in indoor plumbing, and water, wastewater, and recycled water agencies.
April 20, 2020 REEP Committee Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 18 of 22