Bill Text: HI SB629 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urban Water Conservation; Best Management Practices; Public Agency; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-12 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. [SB629 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-SB629-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	629
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO URBAN WATER CONSERVATION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  (a)  There is established a four-year irrigation water conservation best management practices pilot program, under which the department of accounting and general services shall implement irrigation water conservation best management practices as established by the Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii to improve the efficiency of landscape irrigation installations at state facilities through low cost, practical measures.  The pilot program shall complete, at minimum, four projects with an aggregate area of twenty-five thousand square feet of landscape irrigation using best management practices at or around the existing ten capital district buildings that are part of a pilot study on energy and water conservation.

     Irrigation water conservation best management practices shall include:

     (1)  Best management practices for maintenance; and

     (2)  Best management practices for new installations or major renovations.

     (b)  As used in this section:

     "Best management practices for maintenance" includes the use of:

     (1)  Seasonal timing adjustments to irrigation controller systems;

     (2)  Aeration of lawns when compaction increases, and short run-time cycle irrigation in areas where runoff and ponding occur;

     (3)  Irrigation controllers programmed for long run times to water as deeply, evenly, and infrequently as possible to encourage deep rooting and increased drought resistance;

     (4)  Mulch, organic matter in soils, and drought-tolerant plants or plants that are naturally occurring at the site and surroundings;

     (5)  The practice of allowing grass to grow taller to conserve water; and

     (6)  Schedule systems to run water at night;

provided that best management practices for maintenance may also include periodic practical water audits to review the system components and verify that the components meet the original design criteria for the efficient operation and uniform distribution of water.

     "Best management practices for new installations or major renovations" includes the use of:

     (1)  New installations that require a coverage test prior to acceptance; and irrigation system designs, plans, and specifications that remain on site and contain water conservation language;

     (2)  Systems designed with sprinklers spaced to achieve head-to-head coverage or better and with a precipitation rate not exceeding the soil infiltration rate;

     (3)  Systems designed to irrigate similar site, slope, sun exposure, soil conditions, and plant materials with similar water use on the same circuit;

     (4)  Climate-based automatic irrigation controllers utilizing either evapotranspiration and weather sensors or soil moisture sensors;

     (5)  Flow sensors with a malfunction valve shutoff system capability in an irrigation controller and water submeters that measure outdoor water usage on larger sites;

     (6)  Water conserving irrigation components and check valves and drip irrigation for individual specimen plants;

     (7)  Storm water design methods, including infiltration beds, swales, and basins that allow water to collect and soak into the ground on site, utilizing low impact development principles;

     (8)  Nonpotable water sources when available; and

     (9)  A qualified irrigation designer, such as an Irrigation Association-certified irrigation designer, Irrigation Association-certified irrigation contractor, and a maintenance contractor with water conservation expertise.

     SECTION 2.  The department of accounting and general services shall submit a report regarding the results of the four-year irrigation water conservation best management practices pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2020.  The report shall contain but shall not be limited to information on training conducted, installation measures, and water savings measured in gallons.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the implementation of a four-year irrigation water conservation best management practices pilot program pursuant to this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Urban Water Conservation; Best Management Practices; Public Agency; Appropriation

 

Description:

Establishes a four-year pilot program requiring DAGS to implement irrigation water conservation best management practices as established by the Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii.  Requires a report to the Legislature.  Makes an appropriation.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.