Bill Text: CA SB551 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: State water policy: water and energy efficiency.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From Assembly without further action. [SB551 Detail]
Download: California-2015-SB551-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 551 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 6, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Wolk
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
An act to add Section 110 to the Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 551, as amended, Wolk. State water policy: water and energy
efficiency.
The California Constitution requires the reasonable and beneficial
use of water. Existing law establishes various state water policies,
including the policy that the water resources of the state be put to
beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable.
Existing law, the Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources
Conservation Development Act, declares, among other things, that
electrical and natural gas utilities should have as a principal goal
of their resource planning and investment to minimize the cost to
society of reliable energy services, improve the environment, and
encourage the diversity of energy sources. The act also declares that
those utilities should seek to exploit all practicable and
cost-effective conservation and improvements in the efficiency of
energy use and distribution that offer equivalent or better system of
reliability.
This bill would declare the policy of the state that water use and
water treatment shall be operate in a manner
that is as energy efficient as is feasible and energy use and
generation shall be operate in a manner that
is as water efficient as is feasible. This bill would require
all relevant state agencies to consider this state policy when
revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant
criteria when pertinent to these uses of water and energy.
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. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Water and energy are vital to California's economy.
(b) Water and energy resources in California are inextricably
connected.
(c) Energy generation can be water intensive.
(d) Transportation and treatment of water, treatment and disposal
of wastewater, and the energy used to heat and consume water account
for nearly 20 percent of the total electricity and 30 percent of the
nonpowerplant-related natural gas consumed in California.
(e) Targeted water efficiency measures, therefore, are likely to
result in significant energy savings and targeted energy efficiency
measures may result in water savings.
SEC. 2. Section 110 is added to the Water Code, to read:
110. (a) It is hereby declared to be the established policy of
the state that water use and water treatment shall be
operate in a manner that is as energy efficient
as is feasible and energy use and generation shall be
operate in a manner that is as water efficient
as is feasible.
(b) All relevant state agencies shall consider this state policy
when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and
grant criteria when those policies, regulations, and criteria are
pertinent to the uses of water and energy described in this section.
(c) The implementation of this section shall not infringe on the
rights or responsibilities of any public water system or public
utility.
(d) For purposes of this section, "feasible" means capable of
being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period
of time, taking into account life-cycle analyses, cost-effectiveness,
consistency with existing plans, demand forecasts, and
environmental, social, public health, and technological factors.
