FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1594

                                   C 45 L 88

BYHouse Committee on Agriculture & Rural Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Rayburn, Sutherland, Vekich, R. King, Dellwo, Todd and Rasmussen; by request of Governor Gardner)

Providing for a water use efficiency study.

House Committe on Agriculture & Rural Development

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Senate Committee on Agriculture and Ways & Means

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

In 1977, the Legislature authorized the issuance of $18 million in bonds for water supply facilities required to respond to a drought that was forecast to occur that year.  The monies from the sale of the bonds were deposited in the Emergency Water Projects Revolving Account and were appropriated to the Department of Ecology for agricultural water supply and distribution projects.

SUMMARY:

A committee is created and directed to conduct a comprehensive study of water use efficiency and to evaluate means of achieving water use efficiency improvements.  Among the activities to be included in the study are: a review of initiatives in other states; an identification of existing disincentives and potential incentives for improving efficiency in water use; an estimation of the potential water savings and the costs of implementing various alternatives for improving water use efficiency; and recommendations for a public education program concerning the efficient use of water.  No aspect of the study may authorize any interference with existing water rights. The statutes creating the Emergency Water Projects Revolving Account are amended to permit the use of funds from the account for conducting such a study.

The study committee is made up of 20 voting members.  Eight of these are state legislators and 12 are persons appointed by the governor to represent various water user groups.  Representatives of the governor's office and six state agencies are nonvoting members of the committee.  The representative of the governor's office must convene the initial committee meeting and preside until a chair is chosen from among the voting members of the committee.  The members serve without compensation but are to be reimbursed for their travel expenses.

The Department of Ecology must provide staff support for the committee in consultation with Washington State University's Water Research Center. The committee must conduct public meetings concerning the study and its findings and must submit a final report to the Legislature by December 31, 1988.  The committee is terminated on December 31, 1988.  The provisions of the bill establishing the study and related reporting requirements expire on June 30, 1989.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 94   0

      Senate    37     5(Senate amended)

      House             (House refused to concur)

Free Conference Committee

      Senate    48     0

      House 97   0

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1988