Section 13148 Of Article 3. State Policy For Water Quality Control From California Water Code >> Division 7. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.
13148
. (a) This section applies to the following hydrologic regions
as identified in the California Water Plan: Central Coast, South
Coast, San Joaquin River, Tulare Lake, and the Counties of Butte,
Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, and Yolo.
(b) Notwithstanding Article 1 (commencing with Section 116775) of
Chapter 5 of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code,
any local agency that owns or operates a community sewer system or
water recycling facility and that is subject to a finding made by a
regional board pursuant to subdivision (e) may take action to control
salinity input from residential self-regenerating water softeners to
protect the quality of the waters of the state. A local agency may
take action only by adoption of an ordinance or resolution after a
public hearing. The local agency shall not consider the adoption of
an ordinance or resolution until at least 30 days following the date
of the public hearing on the proposed ordinance or resolution. An
ordinance or resolution shall become effective 30 days from the date
of adoption.
(c) Actions to control residential self-regenerating water
softener salinity inputs authorized by subdivision (b) include, but
are not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Require that residential self-regenerating water softeners
installed within the jurisdiction of the local agency be rated at the
highest efficiency commercially available and certified by NSF
International or the American National Standards Institute.
(2) Require that plumbing permits be obtained prior to the
installation of residential self-regenerating water softeners.
(3) Require that residential self-regenerating water softeners be
plumbed to hook up to hot water only.
(4) Enact a voluntary buy-back or exchange program for residential
self-regenerating water softeners, consistent with existing law. A
voluntary buy-back or exchange program may be conducted in
cooperation with local water treatment businesses.
(5) Require the removal of previously installed residential
self-regenerating water softeners.
(6) Prohibit the installation of residential self-regenerating
water softeners.
(7) Require the retrofit of clock control and demand control
systems on previously installed residential self-regenerating water
softeners.
(8) Require the replacement of previously installed residential
self-regenerating water softeners with appliances that meet or exceed
the salt efficiency rating set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision
(b) of Section 116785 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) If a local agency adopts an ordinance or resolution to require
the removal of previously installed residential self-regenerating
water softeners pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (c), the
local agency shall make available to owners of residential
self-regenerating water softeners within its service area a program
to compensate the owner of the residential self-regenerating water
softener for the reasonable value of the removed residential
self-regenerating water softener, as determined by the local agency.
(e) Before a local agency may take action to control salinity
input from residential self-regenerating water softeners pursuant to
subdivision (b), a regional board with jurisdiction over a region
identified in subdivision (a) shall have made a finding at a public
hearing that the control of residential salinity input will
contribute to the achievement of water quality objectives. The
finding may be made in any of the following water quality actions
adopted by a regional board:
(1) A total maximum daily load that addresses salinity-related
pollutants in a water segment.
(2) A salt and nutrient management plan for a groundwater basin or
subbasin.
(3) Waste discharge requirements for a local agency discharger.
(4) Master reclamation permit for a supplier or distributor of
recycled water.
(5) Water recycling requirements for a supplier or distributor of
recycled water.
(6) Cease and desist order directed to a local agency.
(f) The regional board making a finding pursuant to subdivision
(e) shall base its finding on the evidence in the record, such as a
source determination study or other appropriate studies. The standard
of judicial review required for a finding made pursuant to
subdivision (e) shall be the same as the standard of review required
for the water quality action in which the finding is made.
(g) This section does not limit the use of portable exchange water
softening appliances or limit the authority of a local agency to
regulate the discharge from a centralized portable exchange tank
servicing facility into the community sewer system.
(h) For purposes of this section, "residential self-regenerating
water softener" means residential water softening equipment or
conditioning appliances that discharge brine into a community sewer
system.