California Safe Drinking Water Act: emergency regulations.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass into law and died on inactive file, which means its provisions were not enacted.

California Safe Drinking Water Act: Emergency Regulations

This bill gives the State Water Resources Control Board authority to adopt emergency regulations based on federal rules from January 19, 2025, and requires more stringent monitoring requirements.

What This Bill Does

• Gives the State Water Resources Control Board authority to create emergency regulations based on federal rules that were in effect as of January 19, 2025, even if those rules have been changed or removed since then.
• Prohibits emergency regulations from having less strict drinking water standards than existing federal requirements.
• Allows for more stringent monitoring requirements in emergency regulations compared to the federal rules.
• Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt an emergency regulation and start a process to set new standards for certain harmful substances by December 31, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Water Resources Control Board
• Water suppliers in California

Terms To Know

Emergency regulations

Rules that can be quickly put into place to address urgent issues, often during a crisis.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Chemicals used in many products like non-stick cookware and firefighting foam that can harm human health if found in drinking water.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill did not pass into law as it died on inactive file.
• It is unclear how the new regulations will affect specific communities or water suppliers.
• There are no details about funding for implementing these emergency regulations.

Official Summary Text

AB 794, as amended, Gabriel.
California Safe Drinking Water Act: emergency regulations.
Existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act (state act), requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. The state board’s duties include, but are not limited to, enforcing the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (federal act) and adopting and enforcing regulations. Existing law authorizes the state board to adopt as an emergency regulation, a regulation that is not more stringent than, and is not materially different in substance and effect than, the requirements of a regulation promulgated under the federal act, with a specified exception.
This bill would provide that the authority of the state board to adopt an emergency regulation pursuant to these provisions includes the authority to adopt requirements of a specified federal regulation
that was in effect on January 19, 2025, regardless of whether the requirements were repealed or amended to be less stringent. The bill would prohibit an emergency regulation adopted pursuant to these provisions from implementing less stringent drinking water standards, as provided, and would authorize the regulation to include
monitoring
requirements that are more stringent than the requirements of the federal regulation.
The bill would prohibit maximum contaminant levels and compliance dates for maximum contaminant levels adopted as part of an emergency regulation from being more stringent than the maximum contaminant levels and compliance dates of a regulation promulgated pursuant to the federal act.
The bill would require, on or before
January 1,
December 31,
2026, the state board to adopt an emergency regulation and to initiate a primary drinking water standard for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as provided. The bill would make other changes to proceedings initiated upon the adoption of an emergency regulation to establish a public health goal and primary drinking water standards, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF