BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 606 (Levine) - Water conservation ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: August 17, 2015 |Policy Vote: G.O. 12 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 17, 2015 |Consultant: Mark McKenzie | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: AB 606 would require state agencies to reduce water consumption and increase water efficiencies on state property when building on state-owned property, purchasing property, or replacing landscaping or irrigation, as specified. This requirement would only apply when feasible and cost effective, as determined by the state agency. Fiscal Impact: State agencies are not likely to incur significant costs to incorporate water-saving measures in the course of construction on state property or replacing landscaping or AB 606 (Levine) Page 1 of ? irrigation. The bill provides sufficient flexibility to state departments to make efficiency improvements only when feasible and cost-effective. Unknown future savings related to reduced water consumption on state properties. Background: Existing law requires DGS to provide planning, acquisition, construction, and maintenance of state buildings and property. Existing law requires DGS to identify each public building in the DGS's state property inventory where it is feasible for that building to reduce energy consumption and achieve energy efficiencies, as specified, and to retrofit those buildings. Governor Brown issued two proclamations of a State of Emergency in early 2014 due to severe and ongoing drought conditions, and asked all Californians to reduce water consumption by 20 percent. In light of the impacts of the drought on water supply, the Governor issued Executive Order B-29-15 on April 1, 2015, which includes orders to save water, increase enforcement against water waste, invest in new technologies, and streamline government response, as specified. Among its provisions, the Executive Order requires the State Water Resources Control Board to impose restrictions to achieve a statewide 25 percent reduction in potable urban water usage through February 28, 2016, and requires DWR to lead a statewide initiative, in partnership with local agencies, to replace 50 million square feet of lawns and ornamental turf with drought tolerant landscapes. Proposed Law: AB 606 would require state agencies to reduce water consumption and increase water efficiencies when building on state-owned real property, purchasing real property, or replacing landscaping or irrigation, where feasible, through any of the following measures: Replacement of landscaping with drought-tolerant plants, with an emphasis on native plant species. Replacement of irrigation timers to permit efficient watering schedules. Replacement of existing irrigation with drip irrigation, AB 606 (Levine) Page 2 of ? bubblers, or low precipitation spray nozzles, or a combination of these methods. Implementation of recycled water irrigation or rainwater capture irrigation, or both. Installation of irrigation submeters. The feasibility of implementing water efficiency measures would be determined by the state agency as improvements that can be accomplished in a cost effective manner and within a reasonable period of time, accounting for the life-cycle costs and technological factors. The bill provides an exemption for state property that is leased to a private party for agricultural purposes. Staff Comments: Both DGS and Caltrans, the primary entities responsible for state-owned property, have indicated that this bill is not likely to impose significant costs beyond those currently incurred for compliance with the Governor's Executive Order. The bill provides adequate flexibility for state agencies to determine whether a water efficiency measure is feasible and cost-effective before implementing improvements that would save water. The bill would also only apply when an agency is making construction, landscaping, or irrigation improvements to current state-owned property, or purchasing new property. -- END --