Drought planning: resiliency measures., the official text

An act to amend Section 10609.62 of the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law requires small water suppliers, defined for purposes of these provisions to mean a community water system serving 15 to 2,999 service connections, inclusive, and that provides less than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually, and nontransient noncommunity water systems that are schools to implement specified drought resiliency measures, including, among other things, no later than January 1, 2032, metering each service connection and monitoring for water loss due to leakages.
This bill would exempt a small water supplier or nontransient noncommunity water system from these metering and monitoring requirements if it (1) is in the process of applying for state funding, has been determined to be ineligible for state funding, or is not able to obtain state funding because there is no funding available in applicable state programs, and (2) has made a finding that increasing its rates to raise revenue locally is not a feasible option.

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

SECTION 1.
Section 10609.62 of the Water Code is amended to read:
10609.62.
Small water suppliers and nontransient noncommunity water systems that are schools shall implement, subject to funding availability, all of the following drought resiliency measures:
(a) No later than January 1, 2023, implement monitoring systems sufficient to detect production well groundwater levels.
(b) Beginning no later than January 1, 2023, maintain membership in the California Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (CalWARN) or similar mutual aid organization.
(c) No later than January 1, 2024, to ensure continuous operations during power failures, provide adequate backup electrical supply.
(d) No later than January 1, 2027, have at least one backup source of water supply, or a water system intertie, that meets current water quality requirements and is sufficient to meet average daily demand.
(e) No later than January 1, 2032, meter each service connection and monitor for water loss due to leakages. This subdivision shall not apply to a small water supplier or nontransient noncommunity water system that meets both of the following:
(1) The small water supplier or nontransient noncommunity water system is in the process of applying for state funding, has been determined to be ineligible for state funding, or is not able to obtain state funding because there is no funding available in applicable state programs.
(2) The small water supplier or nontransient noncommunity water system makes a finding that increasing its rates to raise revenue locally is not a feasible option.
(f) No later than January 1, 2032, have source system capacity, treatment system capacity if necessary, and distribution system capacity to meet fire flow requirements.