California Assembly Bill AB1194 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1194INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Block FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act to amend Sections 116275, 116280, 116565, and 116650 of, and to repeal Section 116282 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to drinking water. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1194, as introduced, Block. Drinking water. The Calderon-Sher Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996 requires the State Department of Public Health to, among other things, adopt regulations relating to primary and secondary drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water. The act authorizes the department to enter into primacy delegation agreements with local health officers for enforcement of these provisions. The act defines various terms, including human consumption, which means the use of water for drinking, bathing or showering, hand washing, or oral hygene. This bill would include cooking, including, but not limited to, preparing food and washing dishes, in the definition of human consumption. The act provides that its provisions are not applicable to a public water system that meets specified conditions, including that the system sells water to users through a submetered service system if the water supply is obtained from a public water system to which the act applies. This bill would exempt public water systems that sell water to users through a submetered distribution system if the water supply is obtained from a public water system to which the act applies only if each user of the submetered distribution system is not charged a rate that is higher than the rate the user would be charged by the public water system. The act exempts from water quality requirements noncommunity water systems that meet specified criteria, including that the system does not provide water for human consumption, other than handwashing, unless bottled water from an approved source is provided. The act requires these exempted noncommunity water systems to be tested annually for specified bacteria. This bill would repeal this exemption. By adding entities to regulate, this bill would increase the duties of local health officers that have received primacy delegation, and would impose a state-mandated local program. The act allows the department to issue a citation if the department finds that a public water system is in violation of the act or any regulation, permit, standard, or order issued or adopted thereunder and specifies procedures for service and form of the citation. The act classifies citations according to the nature of the violation or the failure to comply and assesses penalties based on that classification. This bill would allow the department to issue a citation if it finds that a public water system is in violation of the act or any regulation, permit, standard, citation, or order issued or adopted thereunder. The bill would make specified changes to the process for service and the form of the citation. The bill would also set the penalty that may be set by the department at an amount not to exceed $1,000 per day for each day that a violation occurred and for each day that a violation continues to occur, and would eliminate the classification process. The bill would allow a separate penalty for each violation. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 116275. As used in this chapter: (a) "Contaminant" means any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water. (b) "Department" means the State Department of  Public  Health  Services  . (c) "Primary drinking water standards" means: (1) Maximum levels of contaminants that, in the judgment of the department, may have an adverse effect on the health of persons. (2) Specific treatment techniques adopted by the department in lieu of maximum contaminant levels pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 116365. (3) The monitoring and reporting requirements as specified in regulations adopted by the department that pertain to maximum contaminant levels. (d) "Secondary drinking water standards" means standards that specify maximum contaminant levels that, in the judgment of the department, are necessary to protect the public welfare. Secondary drinking water standards may apply to any contaminant in drinking water that may adversely affect the odor or appearance of the water and may cause a substantial number of persons served by the public water system to discontinue its use, or that may otherwise adversely affect the public welfare. Regulations establishing secondary drinking water standards may vary according to geographic and other circumstances and may apply to any contaminant in drinking water that adversely affects the taste, odor, or appearance of the water when the standards are necessary to ensure a supply of pure, wholesome, and potable water. (e) "Human consumption" means the use of water for drinking, bathing or showering, hand washing,  or  oral hygiene  , or cooking, including, but not limited to, preparing food and washing dishes  . (f) "Maximum contaminant level" means the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water. (g) "Person" means an individual, corporation, company, association, partnership, limited liability company, municipality, public utility, or other public body or institution. (h) "Public water system" means a system for the provision of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances that has 15 or more service connections or regularly serves at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. A public water system includes the following: (1) Any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of the system  which   that  are used primarily in connection with the system. (2) Any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under the control of the operator that are used primarily in connection with the system. (3) Any water system that treats water on behalf of one or more public water systems for the purpose of rendering it safe for human consumption. (i) "Community water system" means a public water system that serves at least 15 service connections used by yearlong residents or regularly serves at least 25 yearlong residents of the area served by the system. (j) "Noncommunity water system" means a public water system that is not a community water system. (k) "Nontransient noncommunity water system" means a public water system that is not a community water system and that regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons over six months per year. (  l  ) "Local health officer" means a local health officer appointed pursuant to Section 101000 or a local comprehensive health agency designated by the board of supervisors pursuant to Section 101275 to carry out the drinking water program. (m) "Significant rise in the bacterial count of water" means a rise in the bacterial count of water that the department determines, by regulation, represents an immediate danger to the health of water users. (n) "State small water system" means a system for the provision of piped water to the public for human consumption that serves at least five, but not more than 14, service connections and does not regularly serve drinking water to more than an average of 25 individuals daily for more than 60 days out of the year. (o) "Transient noncommunity water system" means a noncommunity water system that does not regularly serve at least 25 of the same persons over six months per year. (p) "User" means  any   a  person using water for domestic purposes. User does not include  any   a  person processing, selling, or serving water or operating a public water system. (q) "Waterworks standards" means regulations adopted by the department that take cognizance of the latest available "Standards of Minimum Requirements for Safe Practice in the Production and Delivery of Water for Domestic Use" adopted by the California section of the American Water Works Association. (r) "Local primacy agency" means  any   a  local health officer that has applied for and received primacy delegation from the department pursuant to Section 116330. (s) "Service connection" means the point of connection between the customer's piping or constructed conveyance, and the water system's meter, service pipe, or constructed conveyance. A connection to a system that delivers water by a constructed conveyance other than a pipe shall not be considered a connection in determining if the system is a public water system if any of the following apply: (1) The water is used exclusively for purposes other than residential uses, consisting of drinking, bathing, and cooking or other similar uses. (2) The department determines that alternative water to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulation is provided for residential or similar uses for drinking and cooking. (3) The department determines that the water provided for residential or similar uses for drinking, cooking, and bathing is centrally treated or treated at the point of entry by the provider, a passthrough entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulations. (t) "Resident" means a person who physically occupies, whether by ownership, rental, lease  ,  or other means, the same dwelling for at least 60 days of the year. (u) "Water treatment operator" means a person who has met the requirements for a specific water treatment operator grade pursuant to Section 106875. (v) "Water treatment operator-in-training" means a person who has applied for and passed the written examination given by the department but does not yet meet the experience requirements for a specific water treatment operator grade pursuant to Section 106875. (w) "Water distribution operator" means a person who has met the requirements for a specific water distribution operator grade pursuant to Section 106875. (x) "Water treatment plant" means a group or assemblage of structures, equipment, and processes that treats, blends, or conditions the water supply of a public water system for the purpose of meeting primary drinking water standards. (y) "Water distribution system" means any combination of pipes, tanks, pumps, and other physical features that deliver water from the source or water treatment plant to the consumer. (z) "Public health goal" means a goal established by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 116365. (aa) "Small community water system" means a community water system that serves no more than 3,300 service connections or a yearlong population of no more than 10,000 persons. (ab) "Disadvantaged community" means the entire service of area of a community water system, or a community therein, in which the median household income is less than 80 percent of the statewide average. SEC. 2. Section 116280 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 116280. This chapter does not apply to a public water system that meets all of the following conditions: (a) Consists only of distribution and storage facilities and does not have any collection and treatment facilities. (b) Obtains all of its water from, but is not owned or operated by, a public water system to which this chapter applies. (c) Does not sell water to any person or user, except for the sale of water to users  pursuant to Section 2705.5 of the Public Utilities Code  through a submetered  service   distribution  system if the water supply is obtained from a public water system to which this chapter applies  and if each user of the submeter distribution system is not charged a rate that is higher than the rate the user would be charged by the public water system  . By enacting this subdivision, it is not the intent of the Legislature to change existing law as to responsibility or liability for distribution systems beyond the mastermeter. SEC. 3. Section 116282 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.  116282. Except as provided in this section, and except for the fee requirements of Section 116565, the department shall exempt from the water quality requirements of this chapter, any noncommunity water system serving a transient population that provides restrooms for employees or the public provided that the water system demonstrates to the department that it meets all of the following criteria: (a) The water system is in compliance with either of the following: (1) No water is served by the water system for any public human consumption other than for handwashing. (2) If water is served for public human consumption other than for handwashing, bottled water from a source approved by the department is provided for the consumption other than handwashing. (b) The water for handwashing is bacteriologically safe. This shall be ensured by sampling the water for coliform bacteria at least once each calendar year. The samples shall be analyzed and the results reported to the department in accordance with Section 64423.1 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. (c) The noncommunity water system is not a business regulated as a food facility under Section 113785.  SEC. 4. Section 116565 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 116565. (a) Each public water system serving 1,000 or more service connections and any public water system that treats water on behalf of one or more public water systems for the purpose of rendering it safe for human consumption, shall reimburse the department for  the  actual cost incurred by the department for conducting those activities mandated by this chapter relating to the issuance of domestic water supply permits, inspections, monitoring, surveillance, and water quality evaluation that relate to that specific public water system. The amount of reimbursement shall be sufficient to pay, but in no event shall exceed, the department's actual cost in conducting these activities. (b) Each public water system serving less than 1,000 service connections shall pay an annual drinking water operating fee to the department as set forth in this subdivision for costs incurred by the department for conducting those activities mandated by this chapter relating to inspections, monitoring, surveillance, and water quality evaluation relating to public water systems. The total amount of fees shall be sufficient to pay, but in no event shall exceed, the department's actual cost in conducting these activities. Notwithstanding adjustment of actual fees collected pursuant to Section 100425 as authorized pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 106590, the amount that shall be paid annually by a public water system pursuant to this section shall be as follows: (1) Community water systems, six dollars ($6) per service connection, but not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per water system, which may be increased by the department, as provided for in subdivision (f), to ten dollars ($10) per service connection, but not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per water system. (2) Nontransient noncommunity water systems pursuant to subdivision (k) of Section 116275, two dollars ($2) per person served, but not less than four hundred fifty-six dollars ($456) per water system, which may be increased by the department, as provided for in subdivision (f), to three dollars ($3) per person served, but not less than four hundred fifty-six dollars ($456) per water system. (3) Transient noncommunity water systems pursuant to subdivision (k) of Section 116275, eight hundred dollars ($800) per water system, which may be increased by the department, as provided for in subdivision (f), to one thousand three hundred thirty-five dollars ($1,335) per water system. (4) Noncommunity water systems  exempted   in posession of a current exemption  pursuant to  former  Section 116282  on January 1, 2012  , one hundred two dollars ($102) per water system. (c) For purposes of determining the fees provided for in subdivision (a), the department shall maintain a record of its actual costs for pursuing the activities specified in subdivision (a) relative to each system required to pay the fees. The fee charged each system shall reflect the department's actual cost, or in the case of a local primacy agency the local primacy agency's actual cost, of conducting the specified activities. (d) The department shall submit an invoice for cost reimbursement for the activities specified in subdivision (a) to the public water systems no more than twice a year. (1) The department shall submit one estimated cost invoice to public water systems serving 1,000 or more service connections and any public water system that treats water on behalf of one or more public water systems for the purpose of rendering it safe for human consumption. This invoice shall include the actual hours expended during the first six months of the fiscal year. The hourly cost rate used to determine the amount of the estimated cost invoice shall be the rate for the previous fiscal year. (2) The department shall submit a final invoice to the public water system prior to October 1 following the fiscal year that the costs were incurred. The invoice shall indicate the total hours expended during the fiscal year, the reasons for the expenditure, the hourly cost rate of the department for the fiscal year, the estimated cost invoice, and payments received. The amount of the final invoice shall be determined using the total hours expended during the fiscal year and the actual hourly cost rate of the department for the fiscal year. The payment of the estimated invoice, exclusive of late penalty, if any, shall be credited toward the final invoice amount. (3) Payment of the invoice issued pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be made within 90 days of the date of the invoice. Failure to pay the amount of the invoice within 90 days shall result in a 10-percent late penalty that shall be paid in addition to the invoiced amount. (e) Any public water system under the jurisdiction of a local primacy agency shall pay the fees specified in this section to the local primacy agency in lieu of the department. This section shall not preclude a local health officer from imposing additional fees pursuant to Section 101325. (f) The department may increase the fees established in subdivision (b) as follows: (1) By February 1 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year for which fees are proposed to be increased, the department shall publish a list of fees for the following fiscal year and a report showing the calculation of the amount of the fees. (2) The department shall make the report and the list of fees available to the public by submitting them to the Legislature and posting them on the department's Internet Web site. (3) The department shall establish the amount of fee increases subject to the approval and appropriation by the Legislature. SEC. 5. Section 116650 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 116650. (a) If the department determines that a public water system is in violation of this chapter or any regulation, permit, standard,  citation,  or order issued or adopted thereunder, the department may issue a citation to the public water system. The citation shall be served upon the public water system personally or by  registered   certified  mail.  Service shall be deemed effective as of the date of personal service or the date of receipt of the certified   mail. If a person to whom a citation is directed refuses to accept delivery of the certified mail, the date of service shall be deemed to be the date of mailing.  (b) Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe  with particularity  the nature of the violation  or violations  , including a reference to the statutory provision, standard, order,  citation, permit,  or regulation alleged to have been violated. (c)  For continuing violations, the   A    citation  shall fix the earliest feasible time   may specify a date  for elimination or correction of the condition constituting the violation  where appropriate  .  If the public water system fails to correct a violation within the time specified in the citation, the department may assess a civil penalty as specified in subdivision (e).  (d)  For a noncontinuing violation of primary drinking standards, the department may assess in the  A  citation  a civil   may include the assessment of a  penalty as specified in subdivision (e).  (e) Citations issued pursuant to this section shall be classified according to the nature of the violation or the failure to comply. The department shall specify the classification in the citation and may assess civil penalties for each classification as follows:   (1)   (e)   For violation of a primary drinking standard,   The   department may assess a penalty in  an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day for each day that  the   a  violation occurred  ,   and for each day that a violation continues to occur  , including each day that the violation continues beyond the date specified for correction in the citation or order  .  A separate penalty may be assessed for each violation.   (2) For failure to comply with any citation or order issued for violation of a secondary drinking water standard that the director determines may have a direct or immediate relationship to the welfare of the users, an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each day that the violation continues beyond the date specified for correction in the citation or order.   (3) For failure to comply with any citation or order issued for noncompliance with any department regulation or order, other than a primary or secondary drinking water standard, an amount not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200) per day for each day the violation continues beyond the date specified for correction in the citation.  SEC. 6. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.