Senate backs water meters 
Modesto Bee 
By ERIC STERN 
BEE CAPITOL BUREAU 
Last Updated: August 20, 2004, 06:12:35 AM PDT 
SACRAMENTO -- With apologies to Mark Twain, water in California is for metering these days, not fighting over. 

Thursday, the state Senate approved a bill that would force all California homes and business to be hooked up to water meters by 2025. No more flat rates for unlimited water use -- homeowners in Modesto and other valley cities would be billed based on how much water they use. 

The measure, which targets water-conservation holdouts in the Central Valley, is expected to receive final approval from the Assembly next week, then head to Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk. 

The Senate passed the bill 23-11.

It also calls for homes with meters already installed -- a requirement for new homes since 1992 -- to start receiving water bills based on usage by 2010. 

Lawmakers from Southern California, where metered water bills are the norm, have been pushing the issue for years. 

"Water is a precious resource in California," said Sen. Deirdre Alpert, D-San Diego, who steered the bill through a brief debate. 

The natural resource is so precious that Twain once remarked that out West, whiskey is for drinking, but water is for fighting over. 

But as booming valley communities face the possibility of costly new wells or reservoirs to keep up with the demand for water, the opposition to metering has waned. 

"I think people are fairly resigned to it," said Judith Ray, Modesto's deputy public works director. "The impression I get from talking to people around here is that people understand it's one of the best conservation tools going." 

Even Central Valley lawmakers were quick to accept defeat Thursday. 

"I know I'm a bit outnumbered here," said Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, who complained about the potential cost of installing meters in the capital city. 

Sens. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, and Chuck Pooch-igian, R-Fresno, voted against the bill. Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, supported it. 

Opponents want local control 

Critics of metering argue that communities with adequate water supplies should not have to meet the standards of areas in Southern California that are short of water. Metering should be left up to local water agencies, they say. 

Backers say the metering effort would save water and put less stress on the state's water supply, as homeowners notice that leaky sprinkler systems and toilets have financial consequences. 

"The bill, once they pay attention to their water use, is actually going to go down," said Mary Ann Dickinson, executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council. 

But with the cost of installing meters, the $20 to $30 monthly water bills that many valley residents see could easily double or triple in coming years. Metering costs could range from $300 for upgrading and connecting an existing meter to $2,000 for new installation and related sidewalk or pavement repairs. 

Local communities have been bracing for the meter mandate and talking about ways to beat the state-imposed deadlines. 

The Modesto City Council has discussed a plan to get meters up and running by 2019. The Turlock City Council is considering a five-year plan to get all homes metered. 

"At this point, it's no longer a choice and that's a fact we'll just have to accept," said Dan Madden, Turlock's water resources manager. 

Bee Capitol Bureau reporter Eric Stern can be reached at 916-326-5544 or estern@modbee.com. 

CA SB 543 
 AUTHOR: Machado (D) 
TITLE: Water Rights: Groundwater Cleanup Operations 
INTRODUCED: 02/20/2003 
LAST AMEND: 09/12/2003 
LOCATION: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials 
Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Permits the water produced from a groundwater cleanup operation to be used, transferred, assigned or conveyed for beneficial use by the operator only if a written agreement for the allocation of treated water has been entered into between the operator and every injured public water system that has made a claim. Provides that no right shall vest in the operator solely by virtue of its extraction, treatment or discharge of water from that operation. 
STATUS: 
09/12/2003 From ASSEMBLY Committee on ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 
AND TOXIC MATERIALS with author's amendments. 09/12/2003 In ASSEMBLY. Read second time and amended. 
Re-referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 
AND TOXIC MATERIALS. 
Priority: Hot 03/11/2003, Sent 09/16/2003 
Position: Watch 03/07/2003 

CA SB 754 
 AUTHOR: Perata (D) 
TITLE: Heritage Trees 
INTRODUCED: 02/21/2003 
LAST AMEND: 06/19/2003 
LOCATION: Assembly Natural Resources Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Enacts the Heritage Tree Preservation Act to prohibit cutting or causing a substantial probability of significant harm to any heritage tree, using a heritage tree or heritage tree buffer zone in a manner that significantly harms a heritage tree, and cutting a heritage tree pursuant to certain statutory and regulatory exemptions. Establishes the Heritage Tree Preservation Fund in the State Treasury. Prescribes civil penalties for violations. 
STATUS: 
07/14/2003 In ASSEMBLY Committee on NATURAL RESOURCES: 
Reconsideration granted. 
Priority: Hot 03/10/2003, Sent 06/24/2003 

CA SB 922 
 AUTHOR: Soto (D) 
TITLE: Cleanup or Abatement Orders: Drinking Water 
Supply INTRODUCED: 02/21/2003 
LAST AMEND: 09/02/2003 
LOCATION: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Provides that a cleanup and abatement order issued by the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional board may require the provision of, or payment for, uninterrupted replacement water service to each affected public water supplier or private well owner. Requires a regional or state board to request a water replacement plan from the discharger prior to provision of replacement water. Provides for mediation of replacement water claims. 
STATUS: 
09/02/2003 From ASSEMBLY Committee on WATER, PARKS AND 
WILDLIFE with author's amendments. 09/02/2003 In ASSEMBLY. Read second time and amended. 
Re-referred to Committee on WATER, PARKS AND 
WILDLIFE. 
Priority: Low 03/10/2003, Sent 09/03/2003 

CA SB 1155 
 AUTHOR: Machado (D) 
TITLE: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta 
INTRODUCED: 01/28/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Prohibits a public agency, including the California Bay-Delta Authority, from assisting or cooperating with any other public agency for the purposes of increasing pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta beyond levels authorized under applicable operation criteria, until the authority undertakes certain actions that encourages pubic participation and in furtherance of certain described solution principles. 
STATUS: 
02/17/2004 To SENATE Committee on AGRICULTURE AND WATER 
RESOURCES. 

CA SB 1168 
 AUTHOR: Ortiz (D) 
TITLE: Healthy Californians Biomonitoring Program 
INTRODUCED: 02/03/2004 
LAST AMEND: 03/17/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Health and Human Services Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Requires the Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control to establish the Health Californians Biomonitoring Program to assess a fee upon manufacturer or person who directly produce toxic chemicals. Lists toxic chemicals that are subject to this legislation. Provides for the establishment of an advisory panel to assist in this program. Provides for phased implementation of the program. 
STATUS: 
03/17/2004 From SENATE Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN 
SERVICES with author's amendments. 03/17/2004 In SENATE. Read second time and amended. 
Re-referred to Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN 
SERVICES. 

CA SB 1200 
 AUTHOR: Oller (R) 
TITLE: Endangered Species Act: Species Review 
INTRODUCED: 02/10/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Rules Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Makes various technical, nonsubstantive changes to California Endangered Species Act provisions that require the Department of Fish and Game to review species listed as an endangered species or as a threatened species every 5 years to determine if the conditions that led to the original listing are still present. 
STATUS: 
02/26/2004 To SENATE Committee on RULES. 

CA SB 1218 
 AUTHOR: Margett (R) 
TITLE: Development Projects: Fees 
INTRODUCED: 02/11/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Rules Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Amends the Mitigation Fee Act. Revises the definition of development project to mean any project undertaken for the primary purpose of the development. 
STATUS: 
02/26/2004 To SENATE Committee on RULES. 
Priority: Medium 02/17/2004, Sent 02/12/2004 
Position: Watch 02/17/2004 

CA SB 1255 
 AUTHOR: Hollingsworth (R) 
TITLE: Fire Protection: Firebreaks 
INTRODUCED: 02/12/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, or the provisions of a condition or restriction regarding landscaping in a planned development, an owner of property, or his or her agent, may construct a firebreak on the property. Authorizes the firebreak to be for a radius of up to 300 feet from the home or other structure, or to the property line, whichever distance is shorter. 
STATUS: 
02/26/2004 To SENATE Committee on NATURAL RESOURCES AND 
WILDLIFE. 

CA SB 1374 
 AUTHOR: Machado (D) 
TITLE: Water transfers: Third-Party Impacts 
INTRODUCED: 02/18/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Authorizes the Water Resources Control Board to approve a petition for a long-term water transfer only if it additionally determines that the proposed transfer would not cause substantial negative third-party impacts. Prohibits the board from approving the petition unless it finds that the petitioners have met prescribed conditions relating to potential third-party impacts. 
STATUS: 
03/04/2004 To SENATE Committee on AGRICULTURE AND WATER 
RESOURCES. 
Priority: Medium 02/19/2004, Sent 02/19/2004
Position: Watch 02/19/2004 

CA SB 1409 
 AUTHOR: Poochigian (R) 
TITLE: Water Rights 
INTRODUCED: 02/19/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Rules Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Makes nonsubstantive, technical changes to existing law that grants certain rights and privileges relating to the appropriation of water to persons, and extends those same rights and privileges to any entity capable of holding an interest in real property. 
STATUS: 
03/04/2004 To SENATE Committee on RULES. 

CA SB 1909 
 AUTHOR: Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee 
TITLE: Recycled Water 
INTRODUCED: 03/10/2004 
LOCATION: Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee 
SUMMARY: 
Substitutes the term "recycled water" for "reclaimed water" and the word "recycling" for "reclamation" in various provisions of the Water Code. 
STATUS: 
03/18/2004 To SENATE Committee on AGRICULTURE AND WATER 
RESOURCES. 
Parties Interested in Incidental Runoff of Recycled Water: 
Here is an update of what is happening with the issue of incidental runoff of recycled water.  As you may recall, the California Recycled Water Task Force issued its final report in June 2003.  The report had a recommendation that the State Water Resources Control Board should review the legal requirements of federal and State statutes and regulations that relate to the regulation of incidental runoff of recycled water to determine the regulatory and enforcement options that are available to the Regional Water Quality Control Boards.  To implement this recommendation, State Board staff held a stakeholder meeting on December 9, 2003.  State Board staff considered comments received at the meeting and in writing and on February 24, 2004 sent a memorandum to the Regional Water Quality Control Board Executive Officers that contained staff recommendations on how to regulate incidental runoff of recycled water.  A copy of the memorandum is attached.  State Board staff is currently working on writing model conditions for implementing the recommendations. 
Thank you for your participation in the review.  If you have any questions, please send an E-mail to me at inneg@swrcb.ca.gov or call me at (916) 341-5517. 
Gordon Innes 
Senior Water Resources Control Engineer 

The California GCSA is trying to make the political leaders of our Nation, aware of the our concerns when decisions are about to be made that will effect our industry. 

Revised December 22, 2004 
Copyright 1998, the CGCSA

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