HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     SHB 2833

                           As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to water conservation and reclamation.

Brief Description:  Regulating the usage of reclaimed water.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Fraser, McLean, Rayburn, Edmondson, Valle, Miller, Belcher, Brekke and Haugen.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Natural Resources & Parks, February 7, 1992, DPS;

Passed House, February 14, 1992, 95-0;

Amended by Senate;

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Belcher, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Beck, Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dellwo; Fraser; Hargrove; Morton; Riley; Sheldon; and Wynne.

Staff:  Randy Acker (786-7129).

Background:  Legislation passed in 1989 required the Department of Health to, contingent upon the availability of funds, encourage the use of reclaimed water.  Many states, including California and Oregon, presently have adopted standards which allow the use of reclaimed water.  Recently a number of large utilities and private sector users of large quantities of water asked that the state expedite the development of reuse standards so that projects currently in the planning stages may include reuse capabilities.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Health, in coordination with the Department of Ecology, is required to adopt a single set of permanent standards, procedures and guidelines by August 1, 1993, for the industrial and commercial use of reclaimed water. The Department of Ecology, in coordination with the Department of Health, is required to adopt a single set of permanent standards, procedures and guidelines by August 1, 1993, for land applications of reclaimed water.

The departments are required to assist parties in the development of pilot projects to use reclaimed water. The departments must develop interim standards for pilot projects for the use of reclaimed water for application to land by July 1, 1992 and for use in commercial and industrial applications by November 15, 1992.

Persons lawfully using reclaimed water prior to the effective date of this act are not required to comply with standards, procedures and guidelines before July 1, 1995. 

The Department of Health is authorized to issue permits for the use of reclaimed water for industrial and commercial uses, but shall not issue permits until a fee structure for the permits has been established.  A permit is required from the Department of Ecology for any land application of reclaimed water.  Permits issued by either department may be issued only to a municipal, quasi-municipal, or other governmental entity, or holder of a waste discharge permit.

The Department of Health is directed to report to the Legislature by August 1, 1994 on the progress of the program to use reclaimed water.  In addition, the department is directed to make recommendations as to whether current uses of reclaimed water, exempt from compliance until July 1995 should be required to comply with the new standards.  The report must include guidelines to assure safe, high quality food products for domestic and export markets. The report must also consider potential uses of greywater, as distinct from reclaimed water, and make recommendations on such uses. The report is to be prepared in coordination with the Department of Ecology, State Building Code Council, and State Board of Health.

The Department of Health, in coordination with the Departments of Ecology and Agriculture, is required to form an advisory committee before May 1, 1992 to provide technical assistance on the development of standards for use of reclaimed water.  The department must report to the Joint Select Committee on Water Resource Policy by December 1, 1992 on the permit fees recommended and authorized under the act.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 29, 1992.  New fiscal note requested on February 8, 1992.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Reuse of water is critical to addressing the water resource needs of the state.  Reuse helps to reduce the need for additional sources of freshwater.  The authority for the Department of Health to charge fees for permits is essential to the success of the reuse program.  The technology to use reclaimed water has been tried and proven, and it is economically feasible.  The impediment right now is the lack of standards.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Eric Slagle and Dave Clark, Department of Health (in favor); Hedia Adelsman, Department of Ecology (in favor); Kim Drury, Seattle Water Department (in favor);  Larry Jones, Metro (in favor); Judd Kirk, Blackhawk Port Blakely Communities (in favor); and Ralph Mackey, Washington Environmental Council (in favor).