Bill Text: CA SB200 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Drinking water.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-24 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 120, Statutes of 2019. [SB200 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB200-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  July 03, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  June 27, 2019

Amended  IN  Senate  May 17, 2019

Amended  IN  Senate  May 07, 2019

Amended  IN  Senate  April 29, 2019

Amended  IN  Senate  March 11, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 200

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Introduced by Senator Monning and Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia and Bloom
(Principal coauthors: Senators Hurtado Atkins, Hurtado, and Caballero)
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Rendon)

January 31, 2019

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An act to add Section 53082.6 to the Government Code, to amend Sections 39719, 100827, 116275, 116385, 116530, 116540, and 116686 of, and to add Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 116765) to Part 12 of Division 104 of, the Health and Safety Code, and to add Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8390) to Division 4.1 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to drinking water, and making an appropriation therefor. therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 200, as amended, Monning. Drinking water.

(1) Existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act, requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Existing law declares it to be the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.

This bill would establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury to help water systems provide an adequate and affordable supply of safe drinking water in both the near and the long terms. The bill would authorize the state board to provide for the deposit into the fund of certain moneys and would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the state board for grants, loans, contracts, or services to assist eligible recipients. The bill would require the state board, in consultation with the Department of Finance, to adopt a fund expenditure plan with specified contents and would require, on and after July 1, 2020, expenditures of the fund to be consistent with the plan. The bill would require, by January 1, 2021, the state board, in consultation with local health officers and other relevant stakeholders, to make publicly available, as specified, a map of aquifers that are used or likely to be used as a source of drinking water that are at high risk of containing contaminants that exceed safe drinking water standards. For purposes of the map, the bill would require local health officers and other relevant local agencies to provide all results of, and data associated with, water quality testing performed by certified laboratories to the state board, as specified. By imposing additional duties on local health officers and local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The act provides for the operation of public water systems and authorizes the state board to contract with, or provide a grant to, an administrator to provide administrative, technical, operational, or managerial services, or any combination of those services, to a designated water system to assist with the provision of an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water. The act defines an administrator as a person whom the state board has determined is competent to perform the administrative, technical, operational, or managerial services required, as specified, and authorizes a privately owned public utility to serve as an administrator.

This bill would, among other things, authorize an administrator to additionally provide legal services pursuant to those provisions and to act, where the administrator is authorized to act on behalf of a designated public water system, on behalf of a voluntary participant, as defined. The bill would recast the authorization for a local agency or a privately owned public utility to serve as an administrator for these purposes.

The act prohibits a person from operating a public water system unless the person first submits an application to the state board and receives a permit to operate the system, as specified. The act authorizes the state board, if the state board determines that it is feasible for the service area of the public water system addressed by the application to be served by one or more currently permitted public water systems, to deny the permit of a proposed new public water system if it determines that it is reasonably foreseeable that the proposed new public water system will be unable to provide affordable, safe drinking water in the reasonably foreseeable future, as prescribed.

This bill would eliminate the requirement that the state board determine that it is reasonably foreseeable that the proposed new public water system will be unable to provide affordable, safe drinking water in the reasonably foreseeable future in order to deny the permit of a proposed new public water system.

The act defines a disadvantaged community for its purposes as an area, as specified, in which the median household income is less than 80% of the statewide average.

This bill would revise that definition to require a median household income of less than 80% of the statewide median household income level.

The act requires a public water system to submit a technical report to the state board as a part of the permit application or when otherwise required by the state board, as specified.

This bill would require a public water system to submit the report in the form and format and at intervals specified by the state board.

(2) Existing law requires a laboratory that performs analyses for regulatory purposes of drinking water, wastewater, hazardous waste, and contaminated soils or sediments to obtain certification or accreditation, as specified. Existing law requires, when a person or entity submits material to the laboratory for testing, the laboratory to report the results of all detected contaminants and pollutants to that person or entity.

This bill would require a laboratory accredited by the State Water Resources Control Board to also report the results of each drinking water analysis to the state board in the form or format and at intervals specified by the state board.

(3) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation. Existing law continuously appropriates 35% of the annual proceeds of the fund for transit, affordable housing, and sustainable communities programs and 25% of the annual proceeds of the fund for certain components of a specified high-speed rail project.

This bill, beginning in the 2020–21 fiscal year, would require 5% of the annual proceeds of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, up to the sum of $130,000,000, to be deposited into the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund for the purposes of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, subject to specified restrictions. The bill would require the Director of Finance, beginning in the 2023–24 fiscal year and until June 30, 2030, to calculate the sum to be transferred by the Controller from the General Fund to the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund if the annual transfer from the annual proceeds of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund is less than $130,000,000 to equal a total transfer into the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund of $130,000,000, as specified.

(4) The Budget Act of 2019 appropriates $100,000,000 from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and $30,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Water Resources Control Board for support or local assistance to fund grants, loans, contracts, or services to help water systems provide safe and affordable drinking water.

This bill would require these moneys to be available for the purposes of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, subject to specified restrictions.

(5) This bill would provide that its provisions are severable.

(6) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

(7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Digest Key

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: YES   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 53082.6 is added to the Government Code, to read:

53082.6.

 A local agency may serve as an administrator for the purposes of Section 116686 of the Health and Safety Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 39719 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

39719.

 (a) The Legislature shall appropriate the annual proceeds of the fund for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this state in accordance with the requirements of Section 39712.

(b) To carry out a portion of the requirements of subdivision (a), the annual proceeds of the fund are continuously appropriated for the following:

(1) Beginning in the 2015–16 fiscal year, and notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, 35 percent of the annual proceeds of the fund are continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, for transit, affordable housing, and sustainable communities programs as follows:

(A) Ten percent of the annual proceeds of the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the Transportation Agency for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program created by Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.

(B) Five percent of the annual proceeds of the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program created by Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code. Moneys shall be allocated by the Controller, according to requirements of the program, and pursuant to the distribution formula in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 99312 of, and Sections 99313 and 99314 of, the Public Utilities Code.

(C) Twenty percent of the annual proceeds of the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the Strategic Growth Council for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program created by Part 1 (commencing with Section 75200) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code. Of the amount appropriated in this subparagraph, no less than 10 percent of the annual proceeds of the fund shall be expended for affordable housing, consistent with the provisions of that program.

(2) Beginning in the 2015–16 fiscal year, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, 25 percent of the annual proceeds of the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the High-Speed Rail Authority for the following components of the initial operating segment and Phase I Blended System as described in the 2012 business plan adopted pursuant to Section 185033 of the Public Utilities Code:

(A) Acquisition and construction costs of the project.

(B) Environmental review and design costs of the project.

(C) Other capital costs of the project.

(D) Repayment of any loans made to the authority to fund the project.

(3) (A) Beginning in the 2020–21 fiscal year, and until June 30, 2030, 5 percent of the annual proceeds of the fund, up to the sum of one hundred thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), is hereby annually transferred to the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund established pursuant to Section 116766 for the purposes of Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 116765) of Part 12 of Division 104.

(B) Moneys transferred under this paragraph shall be used for the purpose of facilitating the achievement of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in this state in accordance with the requirements of Section 39712 or to improve climate change adaptation and resiliency of disadvantaged communities or low-income households or communities, consistent with Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500). For purposes of the moneys transferred under this paragraph, a state agency may also comply with the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 16428.9 of the Government Code by describing how each proposed expenditure will improve climate change adaptation and resiliency of disadvantaged communities or low-income households or communities.

(c) In determining the amount of annual proceeds of the fund for purposes of the calculation in subdivision (b), the funds subject to Section 39719.1 shall not be included.

SEC. 3.

 Section 100827 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

100827.

 (a) A laboratory accredited by the state board shall report, in a timely fashion and in accordance with the request for analysis, the full and complete results of all detected contaminants and pollutants to the person or entity that submitted the material for testing. The state board may adopt regulations to establish reporting requirements for this section.

(b) A laboratory accredited by the state board shall report the results of each drinking water analysis the laboratory conducts to the state board in the form or format and at intervals specified by the state board.

SEC. 4.

 Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

116275.

 As used in this chapter:

(a) “Contaminant” means any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water.

(b) “Department” means the state board.

(c) “Primary drinking water standards” means:

(1) Maximum levels of contaminants that, in the judgment of the state board, may have an adverse effect on the health of persons.

(2) Specific treatment techniques adopted by the state board in lieu of maximum contaminant levels pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 116365.

(3) The monitoring and reporting requirements as specified in regulations adopted by the state board that pertain to maximum contaminant levels.

(d) “Secondary drinking water standards” means standards that specify maximum contaminant levels that, in the judgment of the state board, are necessary to protect the public welfare. Secondary drinking water standards may apply to any contaminant in drinking water that may adversely affect the odor or appearance of the water and may cause a substantial number of persons served by the public water system to discontinue its use, or that may otherwise adversely affect the public welfare. Regulations establishing secondary drinking water standards may vary according to geographic and other circumstances and may apply to any contaminant in drinking water that adversely affects the taste, odor, or appearance of the water when the standards are necessary to ensure a supply of pure, wholesome, and potable water.

(e) “Human consumption” means the use of water for drinking, bathing or showering, hand washing, oral hygiene, or cooking, including, but not limited to, preparing food and washing dishes.

(f) “Maximum contaminant level” means the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water.

(g) “Person” means an individual, corporation, company, association, partnership, limited liability company, municipality, public utility, or other public body or institution.

(h) “Public water system” means a system for the provision of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances that has 15 or more service connections or regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. A public water system includes the following:

(1) Any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of the system that are used primarily in connection with the system.

(2) Any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under the control of the operator that are used primarily in connection with the system.

(3) Any water system that treats water on behalf of one or more public water systems for the purpose of rendering it safe for human consumption.

(i) “Community water system” means a public water system that serves at least 15 service connections used by yearlong residents or regularly serves at least 25 yearlong residents of the area served by the system.

(j) “Noncommunity water system” means a public water system that is not a community water system.

(k) “Nontransient noncommunity water system” means a public water system that is not a community water system and that regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons over six months per year.

(l) “Local health officer” means a local health officer appointed pursuant to Section 101000 or a local comprehensive health agency designated by the board of supervisors pursuant to Section 101275 to carry out the drinking water program.

(m) “Significant rise in the bacterial count of water” means a rise in the bacterial count of water that the state board determines, by regulation, represents an immediate danger to the health of water users.

(n) “State small water system” means a system for the provision of piped water to the public for human consumption that serves at least five, but not more than 14, service connections and does not regularly serve drinking water to more than an average of 25 individuals daily for more than 60 days out of the year.

(o) “Transient noncommunity water system” means a noncommunity water system that does not regularly serve at least 25 of the same persons over six months per year.

(p) “User” means a person using water for domestic purposes. User does not include a person processing, selling, or serving water or operating a public water system.

(q) “Waterworks standards” means regulations adopted by the state board entitled “California Waterworks Standards” (Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 64551) of Division 4 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations).

(r) “Local primacy agency” means a local health officer that has applied for and received primacy delegation pursuant to Section 116330.

(s) “Service connection” means the point of connection between the customer’s piping or constructed conveyance, and the water system’s meter, service pipe, or constructed conveyance. A connection to a system that delivers water by a constructed conveyance other than a pipe shall not be considered a connection in determining if the system is a public water system if any of the following apply:

(1) The water is used exclusively for purposes other than residential uses, consisting of drinking, bathing, and cooking, or other similar uses.

(2) The state board determines that alternative water to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulation is provided for residential or similar uses for drinking and cooking.

(3) The state board determines that the water provided for residential or similar uses for drinking, cooking, and bathing is centrally treated or treated at the point of entry by the provider, a passthrough entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulations.

(t) “Resident” means a person who physically occupies, whether by ownership, rental, lease, or other means, the same dwelling for at least 60 days of the year.

(u) “Water treatment operator” means a person who has met the requirements for a specific water treatment operator grade pursuant to Section 106875.

(v) “Water distribution operator” means a person who has met the requirements for a specific water distribution operator grade pursuant to Section 106875.

(w) “Water treatment plant” means a group or assemblage of structures, equipment, and processes that treats, blends, or conditions the water supply of a public water system.

(x) “Water distribution system” means any combination of pipes, tanks, pumps, and other physical features that deliver water from the source or water treatment plant to the consumer.

(y) “Public health goal” means a goal established by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 116365.

(z) “Small community water system” means a community water system that serves no more than 3,300 service connections or a yearlong population of no more than 10,000 persons.

(aa) “Disadvantaged community” means the entire service area of a community water system, or a community therein, in which the median household income is less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median household income level.

(ab) “State board” means the State Water Resources Control Board.

(ac) “Deputy director” means the deputy director appointed by the state board pursuant to subdivision (k) of Section 116271.

SEC. 5.

 Section 116385 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

116385.

 Any person operating a public water system shall obtain and provide at that person’s expense an analysis of the water to the state board, in the form, covering those matters, and at intervals as the state board by regulation may prescribe. The analysis shall be performed by a laboratory duly certified by the state board.

SEC. 6.

 Section 116530 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

116530.

 (a) A public water system shall submit a technical report to the state board as part of the permit application or when otherwise required by the state board. This report may include, but not be limited to, detailed plans and specifications, water quality information, physical descriptions of the existing or proposed system, information related to technical, managerial, and financial capacity and sustainability, and information related to achieving the goals of Section 106.3 of the Water Code, including affordability and accessibility.

(b) A public water system shall submit the report in the form and format and at intervals specified by the state board.

SEC. 7.

 Section 116540 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

116540.

 (a) Following completion of the investigation and satisfaction of the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), the state board shall issue or deny the permit. The state board may impose permit conditions, requirements for system improvements, technical, financial, or managerial requirements, and time schedules as it deems necessary to ensure a reliable and adequate supply of water at all times that is pure, wholesome, potable, and does not endanger the health of consumers.

(1) A public water system that was not in existence on January 1, 1998, shall not be granted a permit unless the public water system demonstrates to the state board that the water supplier possesses adequate financial, managerial, and technical capability to ensure the delivery of pure, wholesome, and potable drinking water. This section shall also apply to any change of ownership of a public water system.

(2) A permit under this chapter shall not be issued to an association organized under Title 3 (commencing with Section 18000) of the Corporations Code. This section shall not apply to unincorporated associations that, as of December 31, 1990, are holders of a permit issued under this chapter.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 116330, a local primacy agency shall not issue a permit under this article without the concurrence of the state board.

(c) In considering whether to approve a proposed new public water system, the state board shall consider the sustainability of the proposed new public water system and its water supply in the reasonably foreseeable future, in view of global climate change, potential migration of groundwater contamination and other potential treatment needs, and other factors that can significantly erode a system’s capacity.

(d) If the state board determines that it is feasible for the service area of the public water system addressed by an application under this article to be served by one or more permitted public water systems identified pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 116527, the state board may deny the permit of a proposed new public water system.

(e) An applicant may petition the state board for reconsideration of a decision of action of the deputy director taken pursuant to this section.

SEC. 8.

 Section 116686 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

116686.

 (a) (1) To provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water to disadvantaged communities, voluntary participants, and public water systems that have demonstrated difficulty in maintaining technical, managerial, and financial capacity and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse, the state board may do any of the following, if sufficient funding is available:

(A) (i) Contract with, or provide a grant to, an administrator to provide administrative, technical, operational, legal, or managerial services, or any combination of those services, to a designated water system to assist the designated water system with the provision of an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water, which may include steps necessary to enable consolidation.

(ii) To fulfill the requirements of this section, the state board may contract with more than one administrator, but only one administrator may be assigned to provide services to a given designated water system.

(iii) An administrator may provide services to more than one designated water system.

(B) Order the designated water system to accept administrative, technical, operational, legal, or managerial services, including full management and control of all aspects of the designated water system, from an administrator selected by the state board.

(C) Order the designated water system to accept administrative, technical, operational, legal, or managerial services from an administrator appointed by the state board for full oversight of construction or development projects related to a consolidation or extension of service, including, but not limited to, accepting loans and grants issued by the state board and entering into contracts on behalf of the designated water system.

(2) In performing its duties pursuant to paragraph (1), the state board may use criteria from the handbook adopted pursuant to subdivision (g).

(b) Unless the state board has already held a public meeting pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 116682, the state board shall do all of the following to determine that a public water system or state small water system is a designated water system:

(1) Provide the public water system or state small water system with notice and an opportunity to show either of the following:

(A) That the public water system or state small water system has not consistently failed to provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water.

(B) That the public water system or state small water system has taken steps to timely address its failure to provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water.

(2) (A) Conduct a public meeting in a location as close as feasible to the affected community.

(B) The state board shall make reasonable efforts to provide a 30-day notice of the meeting to affected ratepayers, renters, and property owners.

(C) Representatives of the public water system or state small water system, affected ratepayers, renters, and property owners shall be provided an opportunity to present oral and written comments at the meeting.

(D) The meeting shall provide an opportunity for public comment.

(3) Provide an opportunity to submit comments by mail or electronically during the 30-day notice period and for at least one week after the public meeting described in paragraph (2).

(4) If the public water system is operated by a local educational agency, obtain the local educational agency’s agreement, in writing, to the appointment of an administrator.

(c) The state board shall make financial assistance available to an administrator for a designated water system, as appropriate and to the extent that funding is available.

(d) The authority granted to an administrator by the state board pursuant to subdivision (a) may include, but shall not be limited to, the authority to do all of the following:

(1) Expend available moneys for capital infrastructure improvements that the designated water system needs to provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water or to execute a consolidation ordered pursuant to Section 116682.

(2) Set and collect user water rates and fees, subject to approval by the state board. The state board shall consider affordability when approving water rates and fees. The provisions of this section are subject to all applicable constitutional requirements, including Article XIII D of the California Constitution.

(3) Expend available moneys for operation and maintenance costs of the designated water system.

(4) Expend available moneys necessary to achieve consolidation, including conducting feasibility or planning studies, or addressing outstanding technical or legal issues.

(e) The state board shall work with the administrator of a designated water system and the communities served by that designated water system to develop, within the shortest practicable timeframe, adequate technical, managerial, and financial capacity to deliver an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water so that the services of the administrator are no longer necessary.

(f) A designated water system shall not be responsible for any costs associated with an administrator that are higher than the costs necessary to maintain the designated water system and provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water.

(g) Before ordering a designated water system to accept administrative, technical, operational, legal, or managerial services from an administrator pursuant to subdivision (a), the state board shall develop standards, terms, and procedures in a handbook adopted consistent with the process provided for in subdivision (a) of Section 116760.43 for all of the following:

(1) Ensuring compliance with subdivision (f).

(2) Providing opportunity for public comment on selection of an administrator and the services to be provided.

(3) Providing public access to budgets, ownership and financial information, and other documents and records related to the provision of water service to the designated water system or affected residences and to the management of the designated water system by the administrator.

(4) Providing regular public meetings, notifications, opportunities for public comment, and other forms of engagement with customers of the designated water system for significant decisions or actions made on behalf of the designated water system, including, but not limited to, establishing operating budgets, altering water rates, adopting system policies, entering into long-term contracts or financing commitments, and developing system projects or plans.

(5) Formal requests to the state board to reverse or modify a decision of an administrator or to request substitution of an administrator.

(6) Ensuring an administrator acts in the best interests of the community served.

(7) Development and approval of a post-administrator drinking water service plan to ensure compliance with subdivision (e). Development of the plan shall include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of long-term public governance or community ownership options.

(h) Administrative and managerial contracts pursuant to this section shall be exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and may be awarded on a noncompetitive bid basis as necessary to implement the purposes of this section.

(i) For purposes of this section, a local government, as defined in Article XIII C of the California Constitution, that sets water rates in accordance with Article XIII D of the California Constitution shall be deemed to be providing affordable water.

(j) This section does not apply to a charter city, charter county, or charter city and county.

(k) (1) For purposes of this section, an administrator is authorized to act on behalf of an affected residence to the same extent, and in the same manner, as a designated water system with the consent of the affected residence.

(2) For purposes of this section, where an administrator is authorized to act on behalf of a designated public water system, it may also act on behalf of a voluntary participant.

(l) The Legislature finds and declares that the funding provided to a state small water system, affected residence, public water system, voluntary participant, or administrator for purposes of this section serves a public purpose and does not constitute a gift of public funds within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

(m) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Administrator” means a person whom the state board has determined is competent to perform the administrative, technical, operational, legal, or managerial services required for purposes of this section, pursuant to criteria set forth in the handbook adopted pursuant to subdivision (g). Notwithstanding any other law, a privately owned public utility may serve as an administrator for purposes of this section.

(2) “Designated water system” means a public water system or state small water system that has been ordered to consolidate pursuant to Section 116682 or that serves a disadvantaged community, and that the state board finds consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of affordable, safe drinking water.

(3) “Domestic well” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116767.

(4) “Voluntary participant” means the owner of a domestic well or state small water system who has agreed to accept financial assistance pursuant to Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 116765) for the provision of an adequate and affordable supply of safe drinking water.

SEC. 9.

 Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 116765) is added to Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

CHAPTER  4.6. Safe and Affordable Drinking Water

Article  1. Findings and Declarations

116765.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Every Californian should enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards. Every community should be a healthy environment in which to live, work, play, and learn.

(b) No single group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences and adverse health impacts arising from industrial, governmental, or commercial operations or policies.

(c) Concentrated environmental contamination in water creates cumulative health burdens resulting in communities with higher rates of disease such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, neurological and reproductive health effects, birth defects, and obesity.

(d) Despite significant improvements in environmental protection over the past several decades, millions of Californians continue to live, work, play, and go to school in unhealthy environments.

(e) California was one of the first states in the nation to put environmental justice considerations into law and defines environmental justice as the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

(f) California law also declares that it is the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.

(g) Yet, still more than 1,000,000 Californians do not have access to safe drinking water. In communities where the sole water supply is contaminated with substances like arsenic, manganese, nitrates, or hexavalent chromium, families are often left without safe water. The central valley and central coast regions, where more than 90% of the communities rely on groundwater as a primary source of drinking water, are particularly at risk, but other communities around the state are also at risk. More than 250,000 people in the central valley alone lack access to a consistent source of safe, affordable water.

(h) The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 lists lead, arsenic, and hexavalent chromium as substances that can cause cancer and reproductive toxicity.

(i) Established state environmental justice law and policies are only effective insofar as they result in true parity.

(j) It is the intent of the Legislature that the State of California bring true environmental justice to our state and begin to address the continuing disproportionate environmental burdens in the state by creating a fund to provide safe drinking water in every California community, for every Californian.

(k) Climate change is exacerbating the water impacts on disadvantaged and environmentally burdened communities by reducing surface water flows, accelerating declining groundwater basins, and contributing to increasing concentrations of environmental contamination.

(l) Enhancing the long-term sustainability of drinking water systems in disadvantaged and environmentally burdened communities increases those communities’ resilience to climate change.

(m) Funding for safe and affordable drinking water under this chapter promotes investments in disadvantaged communities, provides important contributions to those communities in adapting to climate change, and is an appropriate expenditure from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund created pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code.

(n) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state board, in developing the fund expenditure plan pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 116768), strive to ensure all regions of the state receive the same level of consideration for funding pursuant to this chapter, to the extent practicable.

Article  2. Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund

116766.

 (a) The Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury to help water systems provide an adequate and affordable supply of safe drinking water in both the near and long terms. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys deposited in the fund are continuously appropriated to the board to fund the following:

(1) Operation and maintenance costs to help deliver an adequate supply of safe drinking water in both the near and long terms.

(2) Consolidating water systems, or extending drinking water services to other public water systems, domestic wells, and state small water systems.

(3) The provision of replacement water, as needed, to ensure immediate protection of health and safety as a short-term solution.

(4) The provision of services under Section 116686 for purposes of helping the systems become self-sufficient in the long term.

(5) The development, implementation, and sustainability of long-term drinking water solutions.

(6) Board costs associated with the implementation and administration of programs pursuant to this chapter.

(b) Consistent with subdivision (a), the board shall expend moneys in the fund for grants, loans, contracts, or services to assist eligible recipients.

(c) (1) Eligible recipients of funding under this chapter are public agencies, nonprofit organizations, public utilities, mutual water companies, federally recognized California Native American tribes, nonfederally recognized Native American tribes on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purposes of Chapter 905 of the Statutes of 2004, administrators, and groundwater sustainability agencies.

(2) To be eligible for funding under this chapter, grants, loans, contracts, or services provided to a public utility that is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission or a mutual water company shall have a clear and definite public purpose and shall benefit the customers of the water system and not the investors.

(d) On and after July 1, 2020, an expenditure from the fund shall be consistent with the fund expenditure plan.

(e) The board may expend moneys from the fund for reasonable costs associated with the administration of this chapter, not to exceed 5 percent of the annual deposits into the fund.

(f) In administering the fund, the board shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that funds are used to secure the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure, including, but not limited to, requiring adequate technical, managerial, and financial capacity of eligible applicants as part of funding agreement outcomes.

(g) Beginning in the 2023–24 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter until June 30, 2030, if the annual transfer to the fund pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 39719 is less than one hundred thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), on an annual basis the Director of Finance shall calculate a sum equivalent to the difference, up to one hundred thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), and the Controller shall transfer that sum from the General Fund to the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. This subdivision is operative only while a market-based compliance mechanism adopted pursuant to Section 38562 is operative.

Article  3. Definitions

116767.

 For the purposes of this chapter:

(a) “Adequate supply” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116681.

(b) “Administrator” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116686.

(c) “Board” means the State Water Resources Control Board.

(d) “Community water system” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116275.

(e) “Consistently fails” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116681.

(f) “Disadvantaged community” has the same meaning as defined in Section 79505.5 of the Water Code.

(g) “Domestic well” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116681.

(h) “Fund” means the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund established pursuant to Section 116766.

(i) “Fund expenditure plan” means the fund expenditure plan adopted pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 116768).

(j) “Groundwater sustainability agency” has the same meaning as defined in Section 10721 of the Water Code.

(k) “Low-income household” means a single household with an income that is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, as updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under authority of subsection (2) of Section 9902 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(l) “Mutual water company” means a mutual water company, as defined in Section 14300 of the Corporations Code, that operates a public water system or a state small water system.

(m) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization qualified to do business in California and qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code.

(n) “Public agency” means a state agency or department, special district, joint powers authority, city, county, city and county, or other political subdivision of the state.

(o) “Public utility” has the same meaning as defined in Section 216 of the Public Utilities Code.

(p) “Public water system” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116275.

(q) “Replacement water” includes, but is not limited to, bottled water, vended water, point-of-use, or point-of-entry treatment units.

(r) “Safe drinking water” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116681.

(s) “Service connection” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116275.

(t) “State small water system” has the same meaning as defined in Section 116275.

(u) “Vended water” has the same meaning as defined in Section 111070.

Article  4. Fund Expenditure Plan

116768.

 The purposes of the fund expenditure plan are as follows:

(a) To identify public water systems, community water systems, and state small water systems that consistently fail to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water, including the cause or causes of the failure and appropriate measures to remedy the failure.

(b) To determine the amount and type of funding necessary to implement appropriate measures to remedy a failure to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

(c) To identify public water systems, community water systems, and state small water systems that are at significant risk of failing to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water, including the source or sources of the risk and appropriate measures to eliminate the risk.

(d) To determine the amount and type of funding necessary to implement appropriate measures to eliminate the risk of failing to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

(e) To identify gaps in the provision of safe drinking water, in furtherance of Section 106.3 of the Water Code, and to determine the amount and type of funding necessary to minimize or eliminate those gaps.

116768.5.

 (a) On or before July 1, 2020, the board shall develop and adopt a policy for developing the fund expenditure plan that includes all of the following elements:

(1) A requirement that the board consult with an advisory group to aid in meeting the purposes of the fund expenditure plan as established in Section 116768. The advisory group shall include representatives of the following:

(A) Public water systems.

(B) Technical assistance providers.

(C) Local agencies.

(D) Nongovernmental organizations.

(E) Residents served by community water systems in disadvantaged communities, state small water systems, and domestic wells.

(F) The public.

(2) Identification of key terms, criteria, and metrics, and their definitions.

(3) A description of how proposed remedies will be identified, evaluated, prioritized, and included in the fund expenditure plan.

(4) The establishment of a process by which members of a disadvantaged community may petition the board to consider ordering consolidation.

(5) A requirement that the board hold at least one public hearing before adopting a fund expenditure plan.

(b) The board, in consultation with the Department of Finance, shall annually adopt a fund expenditure plan. The board shall adopt a handbook and may update it at least once every three years.

(c) On or before March 1, 2021, and every March 1 thereafter, the board shall provide to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairpersons of the fiscal committees in each house of the Legislature the most recently adopted fund expenditure plan. The board may submit the fund expenditure plan as required by this subdivision either in the Governor’s Budget documents or as a separate report.

116769.

 (a) The fund expenditure plan shall contain the following:

(1) A report of expenditures from the fund for the prior fiscal year and planned expenditures for the current fiscal year.

(2) A list of systems that consistently fail to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water. The list shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Any public water system that consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

(B) Any community water system that serves a disadvantaged community that must charge fees that exceed the affordability threshold established by the board in order to supply, treat, and distribute potable water that complies with federal and state drinking water standards.

(C) Any state small water system that consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

(3) A list of public water systems, community water systems, and state small water systems that may be at risk of failing to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

(4) An estimate of the number of households that are served by domestic wells or state small water systems in high-risk areas identified pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 116772). The estimate shall identify approximate locations of households, without identifying exact addresses or other personal information, in order to identify potential target areas for outreach and assistance programs.

(5) An estimate of the funding needed for the next fiscal year based on the amount available in the fund, anticipated funding needs, other existing funding sources, and other relevant data and information.

(6) A list of programs to be funded that assist or will assist households supplied by a domestic well that consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water. This list shall include the number and approximate location of households served by each program without identifying exact addresses or other personal information.

(7) A list of programs to be funded that assist or will assist households and schools whose tap water contains contaminants, such as lead or secondary contaminants, at levels that exceed recommended standards.

(b) The fund expenditure plan shall be based on data and analysis drawn from the drinking water needs assessment funded by Chapter 449 of the Statutes of 2018 as that assessment may be updated and as information is developed pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 116772).

(c) The fund expenditure plan shall prioritize funding for all of the following:

(1) Assisting disadvantaged communities served by a public water system, and low-income households served by a state small water system or a domestic well.

(2) The consolidation or extension of service, when feasible, and administrative and managerial contracts or grants entered into pursuant to Section 116686 where applicable.

(3) Funding costs other than those related to capital construction costs, except for capital construction costs associated with consolidation and service extension to reduce the ongoing unit cost of service and to increase sustainability of drinking water infrastructure and service delivery.

116770.

 The fund expenditure plan may include expenditures for the following:

(a) The provision of replacement water, as needed, to ensure immediate protection of health and safety as a short-term solution.

(b) The development, implementation, and sustainability of long-term drinking water solutions, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) (A) Technical assistance, planning, construction, repair, and operation and maintenance costs associated with any of the following:

(i) Replacing, blending, or treating contaminated drinking water.

(ii) Repairing or replacing failing water system equipment, pipes, or fixtures.

(iii) Operation and maintenance costs associated with consolidated water systems, extended drinking water services, or reliance on a substituted drinking water source.

(B) Technical assistance and planning costs may include, but are not limited to, analyses to identify and efforts to further opportunities to reduce the unit cost of providing drinking water through organizational and operational efficiency improvements, and other options and approaches to reduce costs.

(2) Creating and maintaining natural means and green infrastructure solutions that contribute to sustainable drinking water.

(3) Consolidating water systems.

(4) Extending drinking water services to other public water systems, community water systems, and state small water systems, or domestic wells.

(5) Satisfying outstanding long-term debt obligations of public water systems, community water systems, and state small water systems where the board determines that a system’s lack of access to capital markets renders this solution the most cost effective for removing a financial barrier to the system’s sustainable, long-term provision of drinking water.

(c) Identifying and providing outreach to persons who are eligible to receive assistance from the fund.

(d) Testing the drinking water quality of domestic wells serving low-income households, prioritizing those in high-risk areas identified pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 116772).

(e) Providing services under Section 116686.

Article  5. Miscellaneous Provisions

116771.

 (a) The board may undertake any of the following actions to implement the fund:

(1) Provide for the deposit of any of the following moneys into the fund:

(A) Federal contributions.

(B) Voluntary contributions, gifts, grants, or bequests.

(C) Financial participation by a public agency in an activity authorized for funding from the fund.

(2) Enter into agreements for contributions to the fund from the federal government, local or state agencies, and private corporations or nonprofit organizations.

(3) Direct portions of the fund to a subset of eligible applicants as required or appropriate based on funding source and consistent with the annual fund expenditure plan.

(4) Direct moneys described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) towards a specific project, program, or study.

(5) Take additional action as may be appropriate for adequate administration and operation of the fund.

(b) The board may set appropriate requirements as a condition of funding, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) A system technical, managerial, or financial capacity audit.

(2) Improvements to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.

(3) An evaluation of alternative treatment technologies.

(4) A consolidation or service extension feasibility study.

(5) Requirements for a domestic well with nitrate contamination where ongoing septic system failure may be causing or contributing to contamination of a drinking water source to have conducted an investigation and project to address the septic system failure, if adequate funding sources are identified and accessible.

(c) Actions taken to implement, interpret, or make specific this chapter, including, but not limited to, the adoption or development of any plan, handbook, or map, are not subject to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

116771.5.

 (a) This chapter does not expand any obligation of the state to provide resources for the provisions of this article or to require the expenditure of additional resources beyond the amount of moneys deposited in the fund.

(b) Participation in activities authorized for funding from the fund or contributions to the fund by federal, state, or local agencies shall be deemed to serve the public purpose of maintaining the statewide safe drinking water system, and shall not be construed as The Legislature finds and declares that participation in an activity authorized for funding from the fund or a contribution to the fund by a federal, state, or local agency serves a public purpose and does not constitute a gift of public funds within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

Article  6. Information on High-Risk Areas

116772.

 (a) (1) By January 1, 2021, the board, in consultation with local health officers and other relevant stakeholders, shall use available data to make available a map of aquifers that are at high risk of containing contaminants that exceed safe drinking water standards that are used or likely to be used as a source of drinking water for a state small water system or a domestic well. The board shall update the map annually based on new and relevant data.

(2) The board shall make the map of high-risk areas, as well as the data used to make the map, publicly accessible on its internet website in a manner that complies with the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code). The board shall notify local health officers and county planning agencies of high-risk areas within their jurisdictions.

(b) (1) By January 1, 2021, a local health officer or other relevant local agency shall provide to the board all results of, and data associated with, water quality testing performed by a laboratory that has accreditation or certification pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 100825) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 101 for a state small water system or domestic well that was collected after January 1, 2014, and that is in the possession of the local health officer or other relevant local agency.

(2) By January 1, 2022, and by January 1 of each year thereafter, all results of, and data associated with, water quality testing performed by a laboratory that has accreditation or certification pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 100825) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 101 for a state small water system or domestic well that is submitted to a local health officer or other relevant local agency shall also be submitted directly to the board in electronic format.

SEC. 10.

 Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8390) is added to Division 4.1 of the Public Utilities Code, to read:

CHAPTER  7. Designated Water System Administration

8390.

 A privately owned public utility may serve as an administrator for purposes of Section 116686 of the Health and Safety Code.

SEC. 11.

 (a) The amounts appropriated by Item 3940-102-0001 and Item 3940-102-3228 in the Budget Act of 2019 shall be available for purposes outlined in Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 116765) of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) Funds made available pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be used for the purpose of facilitating the achievement of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in this state in accordance with the requirements of Section 39712 of the Health and Safety Code or to improve climate change adaptation and resiliency of disadvantaged communities, as defined in Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, or low-income households or communities, as defined in Section 39713 of the Health and Safety Code, consistent with Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code. For purposes of the funds made available pursuant to subdivision (a), a state agency may also comply with the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 16428.9 of the Government Code by describing how each proposed expenditure will improve climate change adaptation and resiliency of disadvantaged communities or low-income households or communities.

SEC. 12.

 This act does not impose a levy, charge, or exaction of any kind, such as a tax or fee.

SEC. 13.

 The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

SEC. 14.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 15.

 This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to address the immediate need to provide safe and affordable drinking water to all Californians, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.