SB724 - Public housing: lead testing.

Amended IN Senate May 05, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 724 Introduced by Senator Richardson February 21, 2025 An act to add Section 116886 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to drinking water. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 724, as amended, Richardson. Public water systems: public housing: lead testing. Existing law prohibits a person from using any pipe, pipe or plumbing fitting or fixture, solder, or flux that is not lead free in the installation or repair of any public water system or any plumbing in a facility providing water for human consumption, except when necessary for the repair of leaded joints of cast iron pipes. Existing law requires a community water system to compile an inventory of known lead user service lines in use in its distribution system and identify areas that may have lead user service lines in use in its distribution system, as provided. Existing law authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to apply these requirements to, and enforce them against, public water systems and community water systems, as specified. This bill would require a public water system, including community water systems and noncommunity water systems, that provides service to residents of the owner of a public housing unit that is owned or managed by a city, county, city and county, or city, county, or city and county housing authority, to provide information to those the residents of the public housing unit regarding any applicable existing program that offers free testing of the water for lead. Because a local government would be required to provide a higher level of service by implementing its provisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 the statutory provisions noted above. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 116886 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 116886. (a) A public water system, including community water systems and noncommunity water systems, that provides service to residents of The owner of a public housing unit that is owned or managed by a city, county, city and county, or city, county, or city and county housing authority, shall provide information to those the residents of the public housing unit regarding any applicable existing program that offers free testing of the water for lead. (b) For purposes of this section, noncommunity water system has the same meaning as in Section 116275. SEC. 2. 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.