California § 10609.4

§ 10609.4.

(a) (1) Until January 1, 2025, the standard for indoor residential water use shall be 55 gallons per capita daily. (2) Beginning January 1, 2025, and until January 1, 2030, the standard for indoor residential water use shall be 47 gallons per capita daily. (3) Beginning January 1, 2030, the standard for indoor residential water use shall be 42 gallons per capita daily. (b) (1) The department, in coordination with the board, shall conduct necessary studies and investigations to assess and quantify the economic benefits and impacts of the 2030 indoor residential use standard on water, wastewater, and recycled water systems and shall include saturation end-use studies. The studies and investigations shall build on the standards and potential effects identified pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 10609.2 and shall also consider, and as appropriate incorporate, other regional and statewide studies that quantify the impacts on water, wastewater, and recycled water systems, and evaluate the long-term effects of telework. To facilitate these studies and investigations, the board may request necessary and relevant information from wastewater agencies, including monthly influent flow, actions taken to reassess treatment processes, and the impact of the implementation of this chapter on wastewater operations, maintenance, and capital investment. The department, in coordination with the board, shall summarize the findings of these studies and investigations in a report to the Legislature on or before October 1, 2028. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (2) If the department, in coordination with the board, determines that the 2030 indoor residential use standard is likely to unduly impact affordability of water and wastewater services, the department and the board may jointly recommend to the Legislature an alternate date on which the 2030 indoor residential use standard shall take effect. This determination shall be made using at least two years of data reflecting application of the 2025 indoor residential use standard. (3) Based upon the studies and investigations conducted pursuant to paragraph (1), the department shall consider whether to recommend, for adoption by the board, additional variances to accommodate unique challenges related to residential indoor water use pursuant to Section 10609.2. Variance options may include, but are not limited to, stranded assets, impacts on disadvantaged communities, impacts to environmental flows, or adverse impacts to wastewater or recycled water operations. (4) The studies, investigations, and report described in paragraph (1) shall include timely and inclusive collaboration with, and input from, a broad group of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, environmental groups, experts in indoor plumbing, water, wastewater, and recycled water agencies. (c) An urban retail water supplier shall not be subject to enforcement pursuant to this chapter solely for failing to meet the indoor residential use standard.