Bill Text: CA SB846 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: The California Water Plan: water data.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-08-17 - Hearing postponed by committee. [SB846 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB846-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 846	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Berryhill

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to amend Section 81301 of the Water Code, relating to
water.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 846, as introduced, Berryhill. Bay Area Water Supply and
Conservation Agency.
   The Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency Act governs the
formation and operation of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation
Agency. The act includes legislative findings and declarations with
respect to the San Francisco regional water system and the
establishment of the agency.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those
legislative findings and declarations.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 81301 of the Water Code is amended to read:
   81301.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) Many separate cities, districts, and public utilities are
responsible for distribution of water in portions of the Bay Area
served by the regional  water  system operated by the City
and County of San Francisco. Residents in the Counties of Alameda,
San Mateo, and Santa Clara  ,  who depend on the water made
available on a wholesale basis by the regional  water 
system  ,  have no right to vote in elections in the City
and County of San Francisco and are not represented on the San
Francisco commission that oversees operation of the regional 
water  system.
   (b) The San Francisco regional  water  system is
vulnerable to catastrophic damage in a severe earthquake, which could
result in San Francisco and neighboring communities being without
potable water for up to 60 days. The San Francisco regional 
water  system is also susceptible to severe water shortages
during periods of below average precipitation because of insufficient
storage and the absence of contractual arrangements for alternative
dry year supplies.
   (c) The lack of a local, intergovernmental, cooperative governance
structure for the San Francisco regional  water  system
prevents a systematic, rational, cost-effective program of water
supply, water conservation, and recycling from being developed,
funded, and implemented.
   (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to enable local
governments responsible for water distribution in the  three
counties   Counties of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa
Clara  to establish a multicounty agency authorized to plan for
and acquire supplemental water supplies, to encourage water
conservation and use of recycled water on a regional basis, and to
assist in the financing of essential repairs and improvements to the
San Francisco regional water system, including seismic strengthening.

   (e) The need for coordinated planning and implementation of
strategies for water supply, water conservation, water recycling, and
repair and improvement of the San Francisco regional system may
appropriately lead to the establishment of the Bay Area Water
Planning and Conservation Agency.