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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-21-21 CPRLL Committee PacketOTAY WATER DISTRICT CONSERVATION, PUBLIC RELATIONS, LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING and SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY TELECONFERENCE 2554 SWEETWATER SPRINGS BOULEVARD SPRING VALLEY, CALIFORNIA TUESDAY September 21, 2021 12:00 P.M. This is a District Committee meeting. This meeting is being posted as a special meeting in order to comply with the Brown Act (Government Code Section §54954.2) in the event that a quorum of the Board is present. Items will be deliberated, however, no formal board actions will be taken at this meeting. The committee makes recommendations to the full board for its consideration and formal action. AGENDA 1. ROLL CALL 2. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER WITHIN THE COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION BUT NOT AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA This meeting is being held via teleconference. Members of the public may submit their comments on agendized and non-agendized items by either of the following two meth- ods: a) No later than a half hour before the start of the meeting, complete and submit a Request to Speak Form. Your request to speak will be acknowledged during the “Public Participation” portion of the meeting when the committee will hear your public comment. When called to speak, please state your Name and the City in which you reside. You will be provided three minutes to speak. OR b) No later than a half hour before the start of the meeting, email your comment to BoardSecretary@otaywater.gov and it will be read aloud during the “Public Par- ticipation” portion of the meeting. Please provide your Name and the City in which you reside, with your comment. Your comment must not take more than three minutes to read. The District’s meeting is live streamed. Information on how to watch and listen to the District’s meeting can be found at this link: https://otaywater.gov/board-of- directors/agenda-and-minutes/committee-meetings/ 2 DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE (OTERO) [15 minutes] 4. SOCIAL MEDIA, MOBILE APPLICATION, AND WEBSITE ANALYTICS UPDATE (OTERO / SALMERON) [15 minutes] 5. ADJOURNMENT BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING: Mark Robak, Chair Ryan Keyes All items appearing on this agenda, whether or not expressly listed for action, may be delib- erated and may be subject to action by the Board. The Agenda, and any attachments containing written information, are available at the Dis- trict’s website at www.otaywater.gov. Written changes to any items to be considered at the open meeting, or to any attachments, will be posted on the District’s website. Copies of the Agenda and all attachments are also available by contacting the District Secretary at (619) 670-2253. If you have any disability that would require accommodation in order to enable you to partici- pate in this meeting, please call the District Secretary at 670-2253 at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Certification of Posting I certify that on September 17, 2021 I posted a copy of the foregoing agenda near the regular meeting place of the Board of Directors of Otay Water District, said time being at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting of the Board of Directors (Government Code Section §54954.2). Executed at Spring Valley, California on September 17, 2021. /s/ Tita Ramos-Krogman, District Secretary 1 STAFF REPORT TYPE MEETING: Regular Board Meeting MEETING DATE: October 6, 2021 SUBMITTED BY: Tenille M. Otero PROJECT: Various DIV. NO. All APPROVED BY: Jose Martinez, General Manager SUBJECT: 2021 Legislative Session Update GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION: No recommendation. This is an informational item only. COMMITTEE ACTION: See Attachment A. PURPOSE: To present the Board of Directors with an update on the end of the 2021 legislative session including legislative initiatives on important issues that could impact the District and/or other local water agencies. ANALYSIS: The Otay Water District maintains a set of legislative policy guidelines annually and/or as needed to direct staff and its legislative advocates on issues important to the District. In April 2021, the Board adopted the 2021 Legislative Program Policy Guidelines and 2021 Top 10 Legislative Priorities. In general, the guidelines are established to protect the District’s interest in a reliable, diverse, safe, and affordable water supply. Moreover, they seek to maintain local control over special district actions to protect the Board’s discretion and ratepayers’ interests and maintain the ability to manage District operations effectively and efficiently. In addition, they express the District’s ongoing support for financial assistance to water agencies and customers regarding nonpayment due to financial hardships related to COVID-19, water-use efficiency, recycled water, seawater desalination, capital improvement project development, organization-wide safety and security, binational cooperation, climate change, workforce development, and funding, including the equitable distribution of water bond proceeds. These guidelines also demonstrate the District’s AGENDA ITEM 3 2 strong and collaborative support and efforts to advocate against a “one-size-fits-all” approach and any unfunded mandates by legislation or regulation. During the 2021 legislative session the California Legislature introduced 2,776 bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments. While many bills failed to make it out of their house of origin, many others go on to be signed by the governor and become law. These new laws can fundamentally affect special districts. The same is true with each session of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Approximately 900 passed and just under 700 are currently on the Governor’s desk. More than 1,100 have been placed as two-year and inactive files bills. The legislature had until September 10, 2021 to pass any bills for the 2021 legislative session, and the Governor has until October 10, 2021 to sign or veto legislation sent to him during the final weeks of the session. There have been 410 bills and resolutions signed/adopted thus far and zero vetoes. Throughout the 2021 legislative session, the California legislature has worked to prioritize economic recovery to protect Californians and spur job creation during and even after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many unknowns regarding the state budget, funding sources, and the duration of executive orders, including Governor Gavin Newsom’s water shutoff restriction order. It could expire on September 30, 2021, but that could be extended depending on the state of COVID-19 Delta variant cases and financial issues affecting customers’ water and wastewater arrearages, as well as pending action on SB 155 which would extend the moratorium through December 31, 2021. COVID-19 financial relief for the District and its customers has carried prominence throughout the year. The state budget includes $1 billion for water and wastewater bill debt relief. There are also additional funding sources from federal entities, which the District continues to research and assess. District staff resumes its efforts to work with its legislative consultant, the San Diego County Water Authority, and other water-industry coalitions and associations to shape proposed mechanisms for allocation of financial relief to local water suppliers. As part of the reporting process to update the Board, the District’s legislative consultant, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (BHFS), will provide an end of year update to the Board regarding the status of the 2021 legislative session. Because the session is not yet completed until Oct. 10, BHFS will provide the Board with an update as of Sept. 20, 2021. Some of the key bills that BHFS will provide updates on include the following: 3 •Assembly Bill 1434 (Freidman) – Would have established,beginning January 1, 2023 until January 1, 2025, a standard for indoor residential water use GPCD goal of 48; beginning January1, 2025, a standard of 44 GPCD; and, beginning January 1, 2030,a GPCD of 40. The bill failed to meet its deadline, so it may be acted upon in January 2022. •Senate Bill 222(Dodd) – Water Rate Assistance Program, whichwould establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the StateTreasury to help provide water affordability assistance, forboth drinking water and wastewater services, to low-income ratepayers and ratepayers experiencing economic hardship inCalifornia. The bill would require the Department of CommunityServices and Development to develop and administer the WaterRate Assistance Program established by the bill. This bill wasplaced on the inactive file and may be acted upon in 2022. •Senate Bill 223 (Dodd) – Current law requires an urban andcommunity water system to have a written policy ondiscontinuation of residential service for nonpayment, including, among other things, specified options for addressingthe nonpayment. Current law requires an urban and community water system to provide notice of that policy to customers, asprovided. This bill would apply those provisions, on and afterJuly 1, 2022, to a very small community water system, defined asa public water system that supplies water to 200 or fewerservice connections used by yearlong residents. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee on the Suspense Fileand is a 2-year bill, meaning it may be acted upon in January2022. •Senate Bill 323 (Caballero) – Would provide public agency waterand sewer rates the same protections already afforded to fees and charges that fund other essential government services. Thisbill would authorize a local agency or interested person tobring a validation action in a superior court to determine thevalidity of a fee or charge for water and sewer service. Itwould also require an interested party bring a validation action within 120 days after the fee or charge becomes effective. Italso would provide that this bill shall only apply to a fee orcharge for water or sewer service that has been adopted,modified, or amended after January 1, 2022. The bill iscurrently on the Governor’s desk awaiting action. •Senate Bill 155 – A trailer bill that would expand theprohibition of discontinuing water service due to nonpayment toall community water systems regardless of the funding source a community water system receives, for example funding through theCalifornia Water and Wastewater Arrearage Program or other sources, and would also extend the prohibition of discontinuing 4 water service due to nonpayment to December 31, 2021. The bill is currently on the Governor’s desk awaiting action. •Senate Bill 170 - The Budget Act of 2021 made appropriations forthe support of state government for the 2021-22 fiscal year.This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 by amending, adding, and repealing items of appropriation and making otherchanges. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill. Of particular interest, thisbudget bill contains additional water resilience, climate, andwildfire funding. The bill is currently on the Governor’s desk awaiting action. Attached is a list of bills that BHFS has been monitoring and tracking (Attachment B). Staff and the District’s consultant will continue to monitor those bills and issues that may affect the District. Staff will update the Board as necessary throughout the year to provide updates on legislative issues impacting the District. District staff continues to proactively work with the Water Authority’s government relations staff, the District’s legislative consultant, the Association of California Water Agencies, California Special Districts Association, California Water Efficiency Partnership, California Municipality Utilities Association, and other related coalitions, associations, and organizations to monitor legislative issues that affect the District and its ratepayers. It is critical that District and its staff remain engaged in these issues as they could have an impact on how the District conducts day-to-day operations and operates and maintains its facilities, thus affecting its ratepayers. FISCAL IMPACT: Joe Beachem, Chief Financial Officer None. STRATEGIC GOAL: Execute and deliver services that meet or exceed customer expectations, and increase customer engagement in order to improve District Services. Enhance and build awareness and engagement among the District’s customers and stakeholders and within the San Diego Region about the District’s strategies, policies, projects, programs, and legislative/regulatory issues. LEGAL IMPACT: None. 5 Attachments: A) Committee ActionB) Otay Water District Bill Tracking List (As of Sept. 10, 2021)C) Presentation: End of Legislative Session Update 6 ATTACHMENT A SUBJECT/PROJECT: 2021 Legislative Session Update COMMITTEE ACTION: The Conservation, Public Relations, Legal and Legislative Committee reviewed this item at a meeting held on September 21, 2021. The attachment will be updated with notes from the committee’s discussion. 1 Otay Water District Bill Tracking List as of Friday, September 10, 2021 AB 9 (Wood D) Fire safety and prevention: wildfires: fire adapted communities: Office of the State Fire Marshal: community wildfire preparedness and mitigation. Status: 9/9/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would establish in the Department of Conservation the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. The bill would require, among other things, the department to, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, provide block grants to regional entities, as defined, to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Special Districts Association - Support AB 11 (Ward D) Climate change: regional climate change authorities. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the Strategic Growth Council, by January 1, 2023, to establish up to 12 regional climate change authorities to coordinate climate adaptation and mitigation activities in their regions, and coordinate with other regional climate adaptation authorities, state agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 50 (Boerner Horvath D) Climate change: Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network: sea level rise. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires the Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Ocean Protection Council, to create, and update biannually, a Planning for Sea Level Rise Database describing steps being taken throughout the state to prepare for, and adapt to, sea level rise. This bill would establish the Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network in the Ocean Protection Council to provide local governments facing sea level rise challenges with information and scientific expertise necessary to proceed with sea level rise mitigation. Position AB 51 (Quirk D) Climate change: adaptation: regional climate adaptation planning groups: regional climate adaptation plans. Attachment B 2 Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the Strategic Growth Council, by July 1, 2022, to establish guidelines for the formation of regional climate adaptation planning groups. The bill would require the council, by July 1, 2023, and in consultation with certain state entities, to develop criteria for the development of regional climate adaptation plans. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 59 (Gabriel D) Mitigation Fee Act: fees: notice and timelines. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law authorizes any party to protest the imposition of a fee, dedication, reservation, or other exactions imposed on a development project within 90 or 120 days of the imposition of the fee, as applicable, and specifies procedures for those protests and actions. The Mitigation Fee Act imposes the same requirements on a local agency for a new or increased fee for public facilities. Current law, for specified fees, requires any judicial action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul an ordinance, resolution, or motion adopting a new fee or service charge or modifying an existing fee or service charge to be commenced within 120 days of the effective date of the ordinance, resolution, or motion. Current law also provides that, if an ordinance, resolution, or motion provides for an automatic adjustment in a fee or service charge and the adjustment results in an increase in the fee or service charge, that any action to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the increase to be commenced within 120 days of the increase. This bill would increase, for fees and service charges and for fees for specified public facilities, the time for mailing the notice of the time and place of the meeting to at least 45 days before the meeting. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 64 (Quirk D) Electricity: long-term backup electricity supply strategy. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the PUC, Energy Commission, and State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, in consultation with all balancing authorities, to additionally develop a strategy, by January 1, 2024, that achieves (1) a target of 5 gigawatthours of operational long-term backup electricity, as specified, by December 31, 2030, and (2) a target of at least an additional 5 gigawatthours of operational long-term backup electricity in each subsequent year through 2045. The bill would require the commission, by January 1, 2024, to submit the strategy developed in a report to the Legislature, and by January 1 of each 4th year thereafter, through January 1, 2044, would require the commission to submit a report to the Legislature detailing the progress made toward achieving the targets of the long-term backup electricity supply strategy. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor AB 100 (Holden D) Drinking water: endpoint devices: lead content. Status: 9/7/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: The California Safe Drinking Water Act requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Current law prohibits, with certain exceptions, the use of 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 3 any plumbing in a facility providing water for human consumption. Current law defines “lead free” for purposes of conveying or dispensing water for human consumption to mean not more than 0.2% lead when used with respect to solder and flux and not more than a weighted average of 0.25% lead when used with respect to the wetted surfaces of pipes and pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and fixtures. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2023, prohibit a person from manufacturing, and offering for sale in the state, an endpoint device, as defined, that does not meet a certain lead leaching standard. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2023, prohibit a person from introducing into commerce or offering for sale in the state an endpoint device that does not meet that lead leaching standard. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 107 (Salas D) Licensure: veterans and military spouses. Status: 9/8/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Current law requires a board within the Department of Consumer Affairs to issue, after appropriate investigation, certain types of temporary licenses to an applicant if the applicant meets specified requirements, including that the applicant supplies evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is married to, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is assigned to a duty station in this state under official active duty military orders and the applicant submits an application to the board that includes a signed affidavit attesting to the fact that the applicant meets all of the requirements for a temporary license and that the information submitted in the application is accurate, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge. This bill, on and after January 1, 2023, would expand the requirement to issue temporary licenses to practice a profession or vocation to include licenses issued by any board within the department, except as provided. The bill would require an applicant for a temporary license to provide to the board documentation that the applicant has passed a California law and ethics examination if otherwise required by the board for the profession or vocation for which the applicant seeks licensure. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 119 (Salas D) County auditor: direct levies. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires each county to have certain offices, including the office of auditor who is designated to perform certain duties, including apportioning property tax revenue to each jurisdiction according to tax rate area. Current law defines tax rate areas for the purpose of property tax allocation. This bill would require the county auditor, or other county officer designated by the county, to make publicly available on their internet website information about direct levies, as defined, including the range of combined direct levies assessed on real property. The bill would require a website posting that identifies contact information for each direct levy assessed within their jurisdiction, to also include the range of fees assessed on individual parcels of real property subject to the special district’s assessment. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 125 (Rivas, Robert D) Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms, and Worker Protection Bond Act of 2022. Status: 4/15/2021-A. NAT. RES. 4 Summary: Would enact the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms, and Worker Protection Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,302,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, to finance programs related to, among other things, agricultural lands, food and fiber infrastructure, climate resilience, agricultural professionals, including farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers, workforce development and training, air quality, tribes, disadvantaged communities, nutrition, food aid, meat processing facilities, fishing facilities, and fairgrounds. Position AB 148 (Committee on Budget) Public resources. Location: 7/22/2021-A. CHAPTERED Status: Current law, including the General Corporation Law and the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, specifies the formal requirements for filing corporate names and articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. Current law authorizes the Governor, or the Governor’s designee, to incorporate Golden State Energy as a nonprofit public benefit corporation for the purpose of owning, controlling, operating, or managing electrical and gas services for its ratepayers and for the benefit of all Californians. This bill would prohibit the Secretary of State from reserving a corporate name or filing articles of incorporation using the name Golden State Energy unless those articles are for Golden State Energy, incorporated and operating as specified. Position Watch AB 155 (Committee on Budget) Public resources trailer bill. Status: 9/9/2021-S. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Current law creates the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture upon the appropriation of funds. Current law requires the department to administer the program and to award grants to qualified entities, which is defined to include a small business or corner store, a city or county with representative low-income areas that contain small businesses or corner stores, and certain nonprofit entities that meet specified requirements. This bill would change the name of the program to the Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program. The bill would expand the definition of “qualified entity” to include a tribal government or tribal organization under certain circumstances and would revise the criteria required for a city, county, tribal government, tribal organization, or nonprofit entity to qualify to apply for a grant. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 170 (Ting D) Budget Act of 2021. Status: 9/9/2021-S. INACTIVE FILE Summary: The Budget Act of 2021 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2021–22 fiscal year. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 by amending, adding, and repealing items of appropriation and making other changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 225 (Gray D) Department of Consumer Affairs: boards: veterans: military spouses: licenses. Status: 7/14/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires specified boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs to issue, after appropriate investigation, certain types of temporary licenses to an applicant if the applicant meets specified requirements, including that the applicant supplies evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is married to, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is assigned to a duty station 5 in this state under official active duty military orders and the applicant holds a current, active, and unrestricted license that confers upon the applicant the authority to practice, in another state, district, or territory of the United States, the profession or vocation for which the applicant seeks a temporary license from the board. This bill would expand the eligibility for a temporary license to an applicant who meets the specified criteria and who supplies evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States within 60 months of separation from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States within 120 months of separation from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions and a resident of California prior to entering into military service, or an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States with official orders for separation within 90 days under other than dishonorable conditions. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 237 (Gray D) Public employment: unfair practices: health protection. Status: 9/7/2021-A. ENROLLED Summary: Under current law, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) has the power and duty to investigate an unfair practice charge and to determine whether the charge is justified and the appropriate remedy for the unfair practice. This bill, the Public Employee Health Protection Act, would make it an unfair practice for a covered employer, as defined, to fail or refuse to maintain or pay for continued health care or other medical coverage for an enrolled employee or their enrolled dependents, for the duration of the enrolled employee’s participation in the authorized strike, at the level and under the conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had continued to work in their position for the duration of the strike. Position AB 267 (Valladares R) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: prescribed fire, thinning, and fuel reduction projects. Status: 7/14/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law, until January 1, 2023, exempts from the requirements of CEQA prescribed fire, thinning, or fuel reduction projects undertaken on federal lands to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the federal National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as provided. Current law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, beginning December 31, 2019, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2023, to report to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature the number of times the exemption was used. This bill would extend the exemption from CEQA and the requirement on the department to report to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature to January 1, 2026. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor AB 280 (Rivas, Robert D) Electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation plans. Status: 5/7/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Under current law, the Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over electrical corporations. Current law requires each electrical corporation to annually prepare and submit a wildfire mitigation plan to the Wildfire Safety Division of the commission for review and approval. This bill would require each electrical corporation to also submit its wildfire mitigation plan to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. Position Watch 6 Association Positions None AB 284 (Rivas, Robert D) California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: climate goal: natural and working lands. Status: 9/2/2021-S. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Would require the State Air Resources Board, as part of the next scoping plan update, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Agency and other relevant state agencies and departments and no later than January 1, 2023, to identify a 2045 climate goal, with interim milestones, for the state’s natural and working lands, as defined, and to integrate into the scoping plan update recommendations developed by the Natural Resources Agency and the Department of Food and Agriculture regarding practices, policy and financial incentives, market needs, and potential reductions in barriers that would help achieve the 2045 climate goal, among other recommendations. The bill would require the state board, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Agency and other relevant state agencies and departments, to include this information in each subsequent update to the scoping plan and update that information, as appropriate. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 297 (Gallagher R) Fire prevention. Status: 2/12/2021-A. NAT. RES. Summary: Would continuously appropriate $480,000,000 and $20,000,000 to the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention and the California Conservation Corps, respectively, for fire prevention activities, as provided. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 339 (Lee D) Local government: open and public meetings. Status: 9/9/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: The Ralph M. Brown Act requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency, as those terms are defined, be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. Under existing law, a member of the legislative body who attends a meeting where action is taken in violation of this provision, with the intent to deprive the public of information that the member knows the public is entitled to, is guilty of a crime. This bill would require local agencies to conduct meetings subject to the act consistent with applicable state and federal civil rights laws, as specified. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Watch AB 361 (Rivas, Robert D) Open meetings: state and local agencies: teleconferences. Status: 9/9/2021-S. SECOND READING Summary: Would, until January 1, 2024, authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state or local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency held for the purpose of determining, by majority vote, whether meeting in person would present imminent risks to the 7 health or safety of attendees, and during a proclaimed state of emergency when the legislative body has determined that meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees, as provided. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Special Districts Association - Support California Municipal Utilities Association - Support AB 377 (Rivas, Robert D) Water quality: impaired waters. Status: 5/25/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require, by January 1, 2023, the State Water Resources Control Board and regional boards to prioritize enforcement of all water quality standard violations that are causing or contributing to an exceedance of a water quality standard in a surface water of the state. The bill would require the state board and regional boards, by January 1, 2025, to evaluate impaired state surface waters and report to the Legislature a plan to bring all water segments into attainment by January 1, 2050. The bill would require the state board and regional boards to update the report with a progress summary to the Legislature every 5 years. The bill would create the Waterway Recovery Account in the Waste Discharge Permit Fund and would make moneys in the Waterway Recovery Account available for the state board to expend, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to bring impaired water segments into attainment in accordance with the plan. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Oppose AB 385 (Flora R) Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004: Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would prohibit an aggrieved employee from maintaining an action on behalf of themselves or any other aggrieved employee under the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 if certain conditions apply, including if the aggrieved employee has brought an action under the act in conjunction with, or in addition to, claims for monetary damages or penalties for violations of the Labor Code arising out of the same period of employment that occurred between March 4, 2020, and the state of emergency termination date, as defined. Position AB 386 (Cooper D) Public Employees’ Retirement Fund: investments: confidentiality. Status: 7/14/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: The California Public Records Act requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. Current law excludes from the disclosure requirement certain records regarding alternative investments in which public investment funds invest. This bill would exempt from disclosure under the act specified records regarding an internally managed private loan made directly by the Public 8 Employees’ Retirement Fund. Under the bill, these records would include quarterly and annual financial statements of the borrower or its constituent owners, unless the information has already been publicly released by the keeper of the information. The bill would prescribe specified exceptions to this exemption from disclosure. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 418 (Valladares R) Emergency services: grant program. Status: 9/3/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would establish the Community Power Resiliency Program (program), to be administered by the Office of Emergency Services, to support local governments’ efforts to improve resiliency in response to power outage events, as provided. The bill would require the office to allocate funds, pursuant to an appropriation by the Legislature, to local governments, special districts, and tribes for various purposes relating to power resiliency, and would require certain entities, in order to be eligible for funding, to either describe the portion of their emergency plan that includes power outages or confirm that power outages will be included when the entity revises any portion of their emergency plan. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Special Districts Association - Support AB 442 (Mayes I) Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975: exemption: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: master reclamation plan. Status: 9/2/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 prohibits a person, with exceptions, from conducting surface mining operations unless, among other things, a permit is obtained from, a specified reclamation plan is submitted to and approved by, and financial assurances for reclamation have been approved by the lead agency for the operation of the surface mining operation. The act exempts certain activities from the provisions of the act, including, among others, emergency excavations or grading conducted by the Department of Water Resources or the Central Valley Flood Protection Board for the specified purposes; surface mining operations conducted on lands owned or leased, or upon which easements or rights-of-way have been obtained, by the Department of Water Resources for the purpose of the State Water Resources Development System or flood control; and surface mining operations on lands owned or leased, or upon which easements or rights-of-way have been obtained, by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board for the purpose of flood control. This bill would additionally exempt from the provisions of the act emergency excavations or grading conducted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) for its own operations and infrastructure for specified purposes. Position AB 460 (Mayes I) Fire protection: residential fire sprinklers: fees. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law authorizes any public agency providing water for fire protection purposes to, by ordinance or resolution, fix and collect a charge to pay the costs of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for fire protection purposes. Current law authorizes specified local jurisdictions and fire protection districts to make changes or modifications that are more stringent than specified 9 state standards, as provided. Current law neither authorizes nor prohibits a local jurisdiction or a fire protection district from mandating the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems within newly constructed or existing dwelling units. This bill, among other things, would, as provided, prohibit water-related fees imposed on the owner of residential property from being affected by the installation of a residential fire sprinkler system on that residential property, including those residential fire sprinkler systems mandated by a local jurisdiction or a fire protection district. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 464 (Mullin D) Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts: allowable facilities and projects. Status: 6/28/2021-A. CHAPTERED Summary: Current law authorizes the legislative body of a city or a county to establish an enhanced infrastructure financing district to finance public capital facilities or other specified projects of communitywide significance that provide significant benefits to the district or the surrounding community, including, but not limited to, the acquisition, construction, or repair of industrial structures for private use. This bill would include, in the list of facilities and projects the district may fund, the acquisition, construction, or repair of commercial structures by the small business, as defined, occupant of such structures, if certain conditions are met, and facilities in which nonprofit community organizations provide health, youth, homeless, and social services. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 522 (Fong R) Forestry: Forest Fire Prevention Exemption. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: The Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The act authorizes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt from some or all of those provisions of the act a person engaging in specified forest management activities, as prescribed, including the harvesting of trees for the purpose of reducing the rate of fire spread, duration and intensity, fuel ignitability, or ignition of tree crowns, as provided, known as the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption. This bill would extend the operation of the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption indefinitely. The bill would delete the requirement that the tree harvesting area not exceed 300 acres and the requirement that temporary road construction or reconstruction be limited to no more than 2 miles of road per ownership in a planning watershed per any 5-year period. Position AB 564 (Gonzalez, Lorena D) Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would establish the Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act and would provide that it is the policy of the state that all state agencies, boards, and commissions shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the biodiversity conservation purposes and goals of certain executive orders. The bill would require all state agencies, boards, and commissions to consider and prioritize the protection of biodiversity in carrying out their statutory mandates. The bill would require strategies related to the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030 to be made available to the public and provided to certain legislative committees by no later than June 30, 2022. Position AB 585 (Rivas, Luz D) Climate change: Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program. Status: 8/27/2021-S. 2 YEAR 10 Summary: Would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program for the purpose of coordinating state efforts and supporting local and regional efforts to mitigate the impacts of, and reduce the public health risks of, extreme heat and the urban heat island effect, and would require the Office of Planning and Research to administer the program through the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program. Position AB 588 (Garcia, Eduardo D) California Safe Drinking Water Act: compliance. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: The California Safe Drinking Water Act requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt primary drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water. Current law requires the state board to consider specified criteria when it adopts a primary drinking water standard, including the technological and economic feasibility of compliance. This bill would require the state board to identify actions necessary to assist specified water systems to achieve compliance within any compliance period established. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies -Support/Sponsor AB 602 (Grayson D) Development fees: impact fee nexus study. Status: 9/8/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Current law requires a city, county, or special district that has an internet website to make available on its internet website certain information, as applicable, including its current schedule of fees and exactions. This bill, among other things, would require, on and after January 1, 2022, a local agency that conducts an impact fee nexus study to follow specific standards and practices, including, but not limited to, (1) that prior to the adoption of an associated development fee, an impact fee nexus study be adopted, (2) that the study identify the existing level of service for each public facility, identify the proposed new level of service, and include an explanation of why the new level of service is necessary, and (3) if the study is adopted after July 1, 2022, either calculate a fee levied or imposed on a housing development project proportionately to the square footage of the proposed units, or make specified findings explaining why square footage is not an appropriate metric to calculate the fees. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Watch California Special Districts Association - Oppose AB 622 (Friedman D) Washing machines: microfiber filtration. Status: 5/7/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law, to protect public health and water quality, regulates a broad range of consumer products and processes, including water softeners, water treatment devices, and backflow prevention devices, among others. This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2024, that all washing machines sold as new in California contain a microfiber filtration system with a mesh size of 100 microns or smaller. Position 11 AB 678 (Grayson D) Housing development projects: fees and exactions cap. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would prohibit a city or county from imposing a specified fee or exaction if the total dollar amount of the fees and exactions that a city or county would impose on a proposed housing development is greater than 12% of the city’s or county’s median home price unless approved by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The bill would authorize a city or county to seek approval from the department to impose a fee or an exaction that would result in the total dollar amount of fees and exactions exceeding that limitation by making a specified finding and submitting a completed application for a waiver. The bill would require the department to develop a standard form application for a waiver in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. Position AB 697 (Chau D) Forest resources: national forest lands: Good Neighbor Authority Fund: ecological restoration and fire resiliency projects. Status: 9/2/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would reorganize the law relating to the State Treasury the Good Neighbor Authority Fund. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, under an agreement between the state and the federal government, to establish a program for purposes of conducting ecological restoration and fire resiliency projects on national forest lands, with priority given to forest restoration and fuels reduction projects that are landscape scale and are focused on ecological restoration and to community fire protection and protection of water infrastructure and other infrastructure. The bill would require projects to be based on the best available science and emphasize the use of prescribed fire where appropriate. Position AB 703 (Rubio, Blanca D) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. Status: 5/7/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law, by Executive Order N-29-20, suspends the Ralph M. Brown Act’s requirements for teleconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided that notice requirements are met, the ability of the public to observe and comment is preserved, as specified, and that a local agency permitting teleconferencing have a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, as specified. This bill would remove the notice requirements particular to teleconferencing and would revise the requirements of the act to allow for teleconferencing subject to existing provisions regarding the posting of notice of an agenda, provided that the public is allowed to observe the meeting and address the legislative body directly both in person and remotely via a call-in option or internet-based service option, and that a quorum of members participate in person from a singular physical location clearly identified on the agenda that is open to the public and situated within the jurisdiction. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Support AB 736 (Mathis R) Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: internet website information: updates. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: The Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Law of 1997, administered by the State Water Resources Control Board, establishes the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to provide grants or revolving fund loans for the design and construction of projects for public water systems that will enable those systems to meet safe drinking water standards. The law requires the board, at least once every 2 years, to post information on its internet website and send a link of the internet website to the Legislature regarding implementation of the law and expenditures from 12 the fund, as specified. This bill would require the board to post that information and send that link at least annually instead of at least once every 2 years. Position AB 802 (Bloom D) Microfiber pollution. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the Water Resources Control Board to identify the best available control technology for filtering microfibers from an industrial, institutional, or commercial laundry facility on or before an unspecified date, and would require the state board to consult with owners and operators of laundry facilities on the types of filtration systems currently in use and with universities, scientific organizations, and experts on plastic pollution in identifying the best available control technology. The bill would also require, on or before an unspecified date, any entity that operates an industrial, institutional, or commercial laundry facility to adopt the use of the best available control technology to capture microfibers that are shed during washing. Position AB 818 (Bloom D) Solid waste: premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes. Status: 9/8/2021-A. ENROLLED Summary: Would require, except as provided, certain premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes manufactured on or after July 1, 2022, to be labeled clearly and conspicuously with the phrase “Do Not Flush” and a related symbol, as specified. The bill would prohibit a covered entity, as defined, from making a representation about the flushable attributes, benefits, performance, or efficacy of those premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes, as provided. The bill would establish enforcement provisions, including authorizing a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 per day, up to a maximum of $100,000 per violation, to be imposed on a covered entity who violates those provisions. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Support AB 819 (Levine D) California Environmental Quality Act: notices and documents: electronic filing and posting. Status: 7/16/2021-A. CHAPTERED Summary: CEQA requires, if an environmental impact report is required, the lead agency to mail a notice of determination to each responsible agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and public agencies with jurisdiction over natural resources affected by the project. CEQA requires the lead agency to provide notice to the public and to organizations and individuals who have requested notices that the lead agency is preparing an environmental impact report, negative declaration, or specified determination. CEQA requires notices for an environmental impact report to be posted in the office of the county clerk of each county in which the project is located. This bill would instead require the lead agency to mail or email those notices, and to post them on the lead agency’s internet website. The bill would also require notices of an environmental impact report to be posted on the internet website of the county clerk of each county in which the project is located. Position AB 836 (Gabriel D) California Building Standards Commission: recycled water: nonpotable water systems. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require, on or before January 1, 2023, the California Building Standards Commission to adopt mandatory building standards requiring that a newly constructed nonresidential building be constructed with dual plumbing to allow the use of recycled water for all applicable nonpotable water demands, as defined, if that building is located within an existing or planned recycled water service area, as specified. This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2023, the commission to adopt mandatory building standards requiring that a newly constructed 13 nonresidential building with a total gross floor area of 100,000 square feet or more be constructed with dual plumbing to allow the use of nonpotable water sources for all applicable nonpotable water demands and provide for the collection, onsite treatment, and reuse of available onsite rainwater, graywater, and foundation drainage. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Not Favor AB 885 (Quirk D) Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act: teleconferencing. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require a state body that elects to conduct a meeting or proceeding by teleconference to make the portion that is required to be open to the public both audibly and visually observable. The bill would require a state body that elects to conduct a meeting or proceeding by teleconference to post an agenda at the designated primary physical meeting location in the notice of the meeting where members of the public may physically attend the meeting and participate. The bill would extend the above requirements of meetings of multimember advisory bodies that are held by teleconference to meetings of all multimember state bodies. The bill would require a multimember state body to provide a means by which the public may both audibly and visually remotely observe a meeting if a member of that body participates remotely. Position AB 897 (Mullin D) Office of Planning and Research: regional climate networks: regional climate adaptation and resilience action plans. Status: 8/27/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires, by July 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, the Natural Resources Agency to update, as prescribed, the state’s climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan. Current law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governor’s office. Current law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed. This bill would authorize eligible entities, as defined, to establish and participate in a regional climate network, as defined. The bill would require the office, through the program, to encourage the inclusion of eligible entities with land use planning and hazard mitigation planning authority into regional climate networks. The bill would authorize a regional climate network to engage in activities to address climate change, as specified. Position AB 908 (Frazier D) Natural Resources Agency: statewide natural resources inventory. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the Natural Resources Agency, to the extent a specified appropriation is made, to prepare a comprehensive, statewide inventory of the natural resources of the state and establish treatment measures necessary to protect those resources, and to post its initial inventory on its internet website on or before January 1, 2023, with annual updates on or before January 1 of each year thereafter. Position AB 927 (Medina D) Public postsecondary education: community colleges: statewide baccalaureate degree program. Status: 9/9/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would extend the operation of the statewide baccalaureate degree pilot program indefinitely. The bill would remove the requirements that the program consist of a maximum of 15 community college district programs and for a student to commence a program by the end of the 14 2022–23 academic year. The bill would require a community college district seeking approval to offer a baccalaureate degree program to provide evidence of unmet workforce needs to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, as provided. Position Support Association Positions None AB 979 (Frazier D) Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: projects: sea level rise analysis report. Status: 5/25/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, provides that it is the policy of the state to, among other things, reduce reliance on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in meeting California’s future water supply needs through a statewide strategy of investing in improved regional supplies, conservation, and water use efficiency. Current law establishes the Delta Stewardship Council, which is required to develop, adopt, and commence implementation of a comprehensive management plan, known as the Delta Plan, for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This bill would require any individual or entity that undertakes a project, as defined, within the Delta to complete a report analyzing the impact of sea level rise on the project. Position AB 1021 (Mayes I) Imperial Irrigation District. Status: 9/2/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would require the local agency formation commissions for the County of Imperial and the County of Riverside to conduct and publish on their internet websites a joint study of options for providing continued publicly owned and managed electrical service in perpetuity to the Imperial Irrigation District’s electrical service area, as defined, customers and options for alternative governance structures that would extend voting rights to registered voters who reside within the Imperial Irrigation District electrical service area to provide for proportional representation on a governing board that will have primary jurisdiction on all electrical service matters, as specified. The bill would require the study to be published no later than July 1, 2022. By imposing new duties on the specified local agency formation commissions, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Position AB 1058 (Garcia, Cristina D) Large water corporations: bill payment options. Status: 9/8/2021-A. ENROLLED Summary: Current law, until January 1, 2022, authorizes a water corporation with more than 10,000 service connections to seek commission approval, through its general rate case application, to operate a pilot program designed to evaluate customer interest in, and utilization of, bill payment options, including, but not limited to, credit card, debit card, and prepaid card bill payment options, and to assess the cost-effectiveness of, and customer interests served by, customer access to those bill payment options. Current law limits the duration of a pilot program to the duration of the water corporation’s rate case cycle. Current law requires the commission to allow a water corporation to recover the reasonable expenses incurred by the water corporation in providing its customers with these bill payment options, but allows water corporations to not impose a transaction fee on its customers for using these bill payment options. This bill would delete the time-limited pilot program provisions, require the commission to authorize a water corporation with 10,000 or more service connections, unrelated to its rate case cycle, to recover the reasonable expenses incurred by the water corporation in providing bill payment options to its customers, and not require the water corporation to impose a transaction fee on its customers. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 1061 (Lee D) Mobilehome Residency Law: water utility charges. 15 Status: 8/30/2021-A. ENROLLED Summary: Would, if the management of a mobilehome park elects to separately bill water utility service to homeowners, limit charges and fees on homeowners in connection with those services to specified types of charges and fees. The specified charges and fees would be for (1) the homeowner’s volumetric usage based on the homeowner’s proportion of total usage, or, where the water purveyor uses a tiered rate schedule, based on the homeowner’s proportion of the tier’s usage, or based on a mobilehome space rate; (2) any recurring fixed charge, however that charge is designated, for water service that has been billed to management by the water purveyor, determined on the basis of either the homeowner’s proportional share of volumetric use or the total charge divided by the number of mobilehome spaces; and (3) a billing, administrative, or other fee representing the costs of both management and the billing agent combined, not to exceed $4.75 or 25% of the charge for the homeowner’s volumetric usage, whichever is less. The bill would prohibit volumetric usage charges from including water usage by a park’s common area facilities or by any other person or entity other than the homeowner. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Watch AB 1110 (Rivas, Robert D) Zero-emission vehicles: Clean Vehicles Ombudsperson: Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Program. Status: 9/9/2021-A. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Would establish the Clean Vehicles Ombudsperson, to be appointed by and report directly to the Director of GO-Biz, and would require the ombudsperson to consult with appropriate entities in identifying available programs and incentives offered by the state that can help to reduce costs and increase participation in a statewide contract or leveraged procurement agreement, as specified. The bill would also require the ombudsperson to convene 2 or more workshops of an advisory committee to aid the ombudsperson in identifying and publishing best practices in adopting zero-emission fleet vehicles for public agencies and identifying appropriate candidate vehicles for bulk purchase, leveraged procurement, or other means of widespread adoption by public entities, as specified. The bill would also require the ombudsperson to develop, and recommend that DGS adopt, criteria for evaluating vehicle purchase options or other means of widespread and streamline adoption options, as provided. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Municipal Utilities Association - Support AB 1164 (Flora R) Dams and reservoirs: exclusions. Status: 7/14/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires the Department of Water Resources to adopt, by regulation, a schedule of fees to cover the department’s costs in carrying out the supervision of dam safety. Current law excludes certain obstructions from being considered a dam, including a barrier that is not across a stream channel, watercourse, or natural drainage area and that has the principal purpose of impounding water for agricultural use. This bill would specify that the exclusion from being considered a dam for a barrier that is not across a stream channel, watercourse, or natural drainage area and that has the principal purpose of impounding water for agricultural use applies only to a barrier owned or operated by a private entity. The bill would provide that a barrier owned or operated by a public entity that is not across a stream channel, watercourse, or natural drainage 16 area and that has the principal purpose of impounding water for agricultural use shall not be considered a dam only if certain criteria are met, including, among other criteria, that the operator provides to the county office of emergency management a structural failure plan. Position AB 1183 (Ramos D) California Desert Conservation Program. Status: 9/7/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would establish the California Desert Conservation Program under the administration of the Conservation Board to: (1) protect, preserve, and restore the natural, cultural, and physical resources of the portions of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts region in California through the acquisition, restoration, and management of lands, (2) promote the protection and restoration of the biological diversity of the region, as specified, (3) provide for resilience in the region to climate change, as provided, (4) protect and improve air quality and water resources within the region, and (5) undertake efforts to enhance public use and enjoyment of lands owned by the public, as provided. Position AB 1195 (Garcia, Cristina D) Drinking water. Status: 7/14/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury to help water systems provide an adequate and affordable supply of safe drinking water in both the near and long terms. Current law authorizes the state board to provide for the deposit into the fund of certain moneys and continuously appropriates the moneys in the fund to the state board for grants, loans, contracts, or services to assist eligible recipients. This bill would prohibit a public water system from transferring or abandoning a water right held by the public water system except upon approval of the state board, as prescribed. Position AB 1250 (Calderon D) Water and sewer system corporations: consolidation of service. Status: 9/7/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation of public water systems, which include small community water systems, and imposes on the State Water Resources Control Board related regulatory responsibilities and duties. Current law authorizes the state board to order consolidation of public water systems where a public water system or state small water system serving a disadvantaged community consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water, as provided. This bill, the Consolidation for Safe Drinking Water Act of 2021, would authorize a water or sewer system corporation to file an application and obtain approval from the Public Utilities Commission through an order authorizing the water or sewer system corporation to consolidate with a small community water system or state small water identified as failing or at risk of failing by the state board. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor AB 1255 (Bloom D) Fire prevention: fire risk reduction guidance: local assistance grants. Status: 6/4/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the Natural Resources Agency, on or before July 1, 2023, and in collaboration with specified state agencies and in consultation with certain other state agencies, to develop a guidance document that describes goals, approaches, opportunities, and best practices in each region of the state for ecologically appropriate, habitat-specific fire risk reduction. The bill would require the guidance document to be developed through a public process, including region-specific public workshops hosted by the agency, and would require the agency to post the document on its internet website. 17 Position Watch Association Positions None AB 1384 (Gabriel D) Resiliency Through Adaptation, Economic Vitality, and Equity Act of 2022. Status: 8/30/2021-S. THIRD READING Summary: Current law requires the Natural Resources Agency to release a draft of the state’s climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, by January 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, to update the plan by July 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, and to coordinate with other state agencies to identify vulnerabilities to climate change by sectors and priority actions needed to reduce the risks in those sectors. Existing law requires, to address the vulnerabilities identified in the plan, state agencies to maximize specified objectives. This bill would instead require the agency to release the draft plan by January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, and to update the plan by July 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 1403 (Levine D) Emergency services. Status: 9/9/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: The California Emergency Services Act authorizes the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency when specified conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist, and authorizes the Governor to exercise certain powers in response to that emergency. Current law defines the term “state of emergency” to mean a duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the state caused by, among other things, fire, storm, or riot. This bill would additionally include a “deenergization event,” defined as a planned power outage, as specified, within those conditions constituting a state of emergency. Position AB 1428 (Quirk D) Safe Drinking Water Act: applicability. Status: 7/9/2021-A. CHAPTERED Summary: Under current law, a water district, as defined, in existence prior to May 18, 1994, that provides primarily agricultural services through a piped water system with only incidental residential or similar uses is not considered to be a public water system under specified conditions, including the system certifying that it is providing alternative water for residential or similar uses for drinking water and cooking to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulations. This bill would remove the above provision authorizing those water districts to certify that they are providing alternative water for residential or similar uses to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable primary drinking water regulations. Position AB 1434 (Friedman D) Urban water use objectives: indoor residential water use. Status: 5/25/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Would establish, beginning January 1, 2023, until January 1, 2025, the standard for indoor residential water use as 48 gallons per capita daily. The bill would establish, beginning January 1, 2025, the standard as 44 gallons per capita daily and, beginning January 1, 2030, 40 gallons per capita daily. Position Oppose Association Positions 18 Association of California Water Agencies - Oppose California Special Districts – Oppose California Municipal Utilities Association - Oppose AB 1458 (Frazier D) Fish and wildlife protection and conservation: lake and streambed alteration agreements: exemptions Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law prohibits a person, a state or local governmental agency, or a public utility from substantially diverting or obstructing the natural flow of, or substantially changing or using any material from the bed, channel, or bank of, any river, stream, or lake, or depositing or disposing of debris, waste, or other material containing crumbled, flaked, or ground pavement where it may pass into any river, stream, or lake, unless prescribed requirements are met, including written notification to the Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding the activity. Current law requires the department to determine whether the activity may substantially adversely affect an existing fish and wildlife resource and, if so, to provide a draft lake or streambed alteration agreement to the person, agency, or utility. Current law prescribes various requirements for lake and streambed alteration agreements. Current law also establishes various exemptions from these provisions. This bill would additionally exempt from these provisions vegetation management or fuels treatment projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a state or local governmental agency necessary to prevent or mitigate the threat or intensity of a wildfire. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Municipal Utilities Association - Support AB 1500 (Garcia, Eduardo D) Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022. Status: 5/20/2021-A. RLS. Summary: Would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $7,080,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - 19 Support if Amended California Municipal Utilities Association - Support AB 1510 (Garcia, Eduardo D) Unauthorized workers: Essential Worker and Economic Stability Act of 2021. Status: 4/30/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current federal law regulates immigration. Current state law establishes the Employment Development Department (department), which is administered by the Director of Employment Development who is vested with certain duties relating to, among other things, job creation and unemployment compensation. This bill would require the department to determine the extent of labor shortages in the state’s essential critical infrastructure workforce sectors and provide that information to specified federal government entities. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to address the issues relating to a work permit program for unauthorized persons who are essential critical infrastructure workforce employees to work and live in the state, and to serve as liaison to the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Department of Justice to ensure that state departments are not taking on responsibilities in matters dealing with immigration policy that are the jurisdiction of the federal government. Position AB 1570 (Committee on Natural Resources) Public resources: omnibus bill. Status: 9/7/2021-A. ENROLLMENT Summary: Would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to assist local governments in preventing future high-intensity wildland fires and instituting appropriate fuels management by making its wildland fire prevention and vegetation management expertise available to local governments to the extent possible within the department’s budgetary limitations. The bill would explicitly define, for these purposes, “local governments” to include cities, counties, and special districts. The bill would also make changes to related findings and declarations by the Legislature. Position Watch Association Positions None AB 1581 (Committee on Local Government) Local government: omnibus. Status: 6/28/2021-A. CHAPTERED Summary: The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 provides the authority and procedure for the initiation, conduct, and completion of changes of organization, reorganization, and sphere of influence changes for cities and districts, as specified. Current law requires a local agency formation commission to develop and determine the sphere of influence of each city and each special district within the county and enact policies designed to promote the logical and orderly development of areas within each sphere. Current law requires, when a proposed change of organization or reorganization applies to 2 or more affected counties, that exclusive jurisdiction vest in the commission of the principal county, unless certain things occur. This bill would add the determination of a sphere of influence to the types of proposed changes for which exclusive jurisdiction may or may not vest in a principal county. Position ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry D) Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval. Status: 4/22/2021-A. L. GOV. Summary: The California Constitution prohibits the ad valorem tax rate on real property from exceeding 1% of the full cash value of the property, subject to certain exceptions. This measure 20 would create an additional exception to the 1% limit that would authorize a city, county, city and county, or special district to levy an ad valorem tax to service bonded indebtedness incurred to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, or permanent supportive housing, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters of the city, county, or city and county, as applicable, and the proposition includes specified accountability requirements. Position ACR 17 (Voepel R) Special Districts Week. Status: 6/24/2021-A. CHAPTERED Summary: This measure proclaims the week of May 16, 2021, to May 22, 2021, to be Special Districts Week. Position SB 1 (Atkins D) Coastal resources: sea level rise. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes the California Coastal Commission and provides for planning and regulation of development in the coastal zone, as defined. The act requires the commission, within 90 days after January 1, 1977, to adopt, after public hearing, procedures for the preparation, submission, approval, appeal, certification, and amendment of a local coastal program, including a common methodology for the preparation of, and the determination of the scope of, the local coastal programs, as provided. This bill would also include, as part of the procedures the commission is required to adopt, recommendations and guidelines for the identification, assessment, minimization, and mitigation of sea level rise within each local coastal program, as provided. The bill would delete the timeframe specified above by which the commission is required to adopt these procedures. Position Watch Association Positions None SB 45 (Portantino D) Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022. Status: 6/1/2021-S. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Would enact the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $5,595,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for a wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection program. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Support if Amended California Municipal Utilities Association - Support SB 52 (Dodd D) State of emergency: local emergency: planned power outage. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED 21 Summary: Would define a 'deenergization event' as a planned power outage, as specified, and would make a deenergization event one of those conditions constituting a local emergency, with prescribed limitations. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor SB 54 (Allen D) Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act. Status: 6/4/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Would establish the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, which would prohibit producers of single-use, disposable packaging or single-use, disposable food service ware products from offering for sale, selling, distributing, or importing in or into the state such packaging or products that are manufactured on or after January 1, 2032, unless they are recyclable or compostable. Position SB 63 (Stern D) Fire prevention: vegetation management: public education: grants: defensible space: fire hazard severity zones. Status: 8/31/2021-A. THIRD READING Summary: Would, among other things, require the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to identify areas of the state as moderate and high fire hazard severity . The bill would modify the factors the director is required to use to identify areas into fire hazard severity zones, as provided. The bill would require a local agency to make this information available for public review and comment, as provided. By expanding the responsibility of a local agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Position Watch Association Positions None SB 99 (Dodd D) Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021. Status: 8/27/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law establishes within the Natural Resources Agency the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Current law assigns the commission various duties, including applying for and accepting grants, contributions, and appropriations, and awarding grants consistent with the goals and objectives of a program or activity the commission is authorized to implement or administer. This bill, the Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021, would require the commission to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop community energy resilience plans and expedite permit review of distributed energy resources by local governments. Position Watch Association Positions None SB 129 (Skinner D) Budget Act of 2021 Status: 6/28/2021-S. CHAPTERED Summary: The Budget Act of 2021 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2021–22 fiscal year. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 by amending, adding, and repealing items of appropriation and making other changes. This bill contains other related provisions. 22 Position Watch Association Positions None SB 148 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) Public resources. Status: 1/8/2021-A. BUDGET Summary: Current law, including the General Corporation Law and the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, specifies the formal requirements for filing corporate names and articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. Current law authorizes the Governor, or the Governor’s designee, to incorporate Golden State Energy as a nonprofit public benefit corporation for the purpose of owning, controlling, operating, or managing electrical and gas services for its ratepayers and for the benefit of all Californians. This bill would prohibit the Secretary of State from reserving a corporate name or filing articles of incorporation using the name Golden State Energy unless those articles are for Golden State Energy, incorporated and operating as specified. Position SB 155 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) Public resources trailer bill. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLMENT Summary: Current law creates the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture upon the appropriation of funds. Existing law requires the department to administer the program and to award grants to qualified entities, which is defined to include a small business or corner store, a city or county with representative low-income areas that contain small businesses or corner stores, and certain nonprofit entities that meet specified requirements. This bill would change the name of the program to the Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program. The bill would expand the definition of “qualified entity” to include a tribal government or tribal organization under certain circumstances and would revise the criteria required for a city, county, tribal government, tribal organization, or nonprofit entity to qualify to apply for a grant. Position Watch Association Positions None SB 170 (Skinner D) Budget Act of 2021. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLMENT Summary: The Budget Act of 2021 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2021-22 fiscal year. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 by amending, adding, and repealing items of appropriation and making other changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill Position Watch Association Positions None SB 222 (Dodd D) Water Rate Assistance Program. Status: 9/3/2021-A. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Would establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury to help provide water affordability assistance, for both drinking water and wastewater services, to low-income ratepayers and ratepayers experiencing economic hardship in California. The bill would require the Department of Community Services and Development to develop and administer the Water Rate Assistance Program established by the bill. Position Watch 23 Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Oppose unless Amended SB 223 (Dodd D) Discontinuation of residential water service. Status: 5/25/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires an urban and community water system to have a written policy on discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment, including, among other things, specified options for addressing the nonpayment. Current law requires an urban and community water system to provide notice of that policy to customers, as provided. This bill would apply those provisions, on and after July 1, 2022, to a very small community water system, defined as a public water system that supplies water to 200 or fewer service connections used by yearlong residents. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Oppose SB 230 (Portantino D) State Water Resources Control Board: Constituents of Emerging Concern Program. Status: 5/25/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the State Water Resources Control Board to establish, maintain, and direct an ongoing, dedicated program called the Constituents of Emerging Concern Program to assess the state of information and recommend areas for further study on, among other things, the occurrence of constituents of emerging concern (CEC) in drinking water sources and treated drinking water. The bill would require the state board to convene, by an unspecified date, the Science Advisory Panel to review and provide recommendations to the state board on CEC for further action, among other duties. The bill would require the state board to provide an annual report to the Legislature on the ongoing work conducted by the panel. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor SB 273 (Hertzberg D) Water quality: municipal wastewater agencies. Status: 9/3/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: Would authorize a municipal wastewater agency, as defined, to enter into agreements with entities responsible for stormwater management for the purpose of managing stormwater and dry weather runoff, as defined, to acquire, construct, expand, operate, maintain, and provide facilities for specified purposes relating to managing stormwater and dry weather runoff, and to levy taxes, fees, and charges consistent with the municipal wastewater agency’s existing authority in order to fund projects undertaken pursuant to the bill. The bill would require the exercise of any new authority granted under the bill to comply with the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. The bill would require a municipal wastewater agency that enters into or amends one of these agreements after January 1, 2022, to file a copy of the agreement or amendment with the local agency formation commission in each county where any part of the municipal wastewater agency’s territory is located, but would exempt those agreements and amendments from local agency formation commission approval except as required by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. Position 24 Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies – Favor California Special Districts Association – Support California Municipal Utilities Association – Support SB 274 (Wieckowski D) Local government meetings: agenda and documents. Status: 8/30/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: The Ralph M. Brown Act requires meetings of the legislative body of a local agency to be open and public and also requires regular and special meetings of the legislative body to be held within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, with specified exceptions. Current law authorizes a person to request that a copy of an agenda, or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet, of any meeting of a legislative body be mailed to that person. This bill would require a local agency with an internet website, or its designee, to email a copy of, or website link to, the agenda or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet if the person requests that the items be delivered by email. If a local agency determines it to be technologically infeasible to send a copy of the documents or a link to a website that contains the documents by email or by other electronic means, the bill would require the legislative body or its designee to send by mail a copy of the agenda or a website link to the agenda and to mail a copy of all other documents constituting the agenda packet, as specified. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor California Municipal Utilities Association - Support SB 323 (Caballero D) Local government: water or sewer service: legal actions. Status: 9/9/2021-S. CONCURRENCE Summary: Current law prohibits a local agency from imposing fees for specified purposes, including fees for water or sewer connections, as defined, that exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, unless voter approval is obtained. Existing law provides that a local agency levying a new water or sewer connection fee or increasing a fee must do so by ordinance or resolution. Current law requires, for specified fees, including water or sewer connection fees, any judicial action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul an ordinance, resolution, or motion adopting a new fee or service charge or modifying an existing fee or service charge to be commenced within 120 days of the effective date of the ordinance, resolution, or motion according to specified procedures for validation proceedings. Except as provided, this bill would require any judicial action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, validate, or annul an ordinance, resolution, or motion adopting, modifying, or amending water or sewer service fees or charges adopted after January 1, 2022, to be commenced within 120 days of the effective date or the date of final passage, adoption, or approval of the ordinance, resolution, or motion, whichever is later. 25 Position Support Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Sponsor/Support California Special Districts Association – Support California Municipal Utilities Association - Support SB 351 (Caballero D) Water Innovation Act of 2021. Status: 5/25/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board for the purposes of providing for the orderly and efficient administration of the water resources of the state. This bill, the Water Innovation Act of 2021, would create the Office of Water Innovation at the California Water Commission for the furtherance of new technologies and other innovative approaches in the water sector. The bill would require the office, by December 31, 2023, to take specified measures to advance innovation in the water sector. The bill would make findings and declarations regarding the need for water innovation. Position SB 403 (Gonzalez D) Drinking water: consolidation. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: The California Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to order consolidation with a receiving water system where a public water system or a state small water system, serving a disadvantaged community, consistently fails to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water or where a disadvantaged community is substantially reliant on domestic wells that consistently fail to provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water. This bill would revise those consolidation provisions, including, among other revisions, authorizing the state board to also order consolidation where a water system serving a disadvantaged community is an at-risk water system, as defined, or where a disadvantaged community is substantially reliant on at-risk domestic wells, as defined. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Watch California Special Districts Association – Oppose SB 426 (Rubio D) Municipal separate storm sewer systems: financial capability analysis. Status: 6/4/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require the State Water Resources Control Board, by July 1, 2022, to establish financial capability assessment guidelines for municipal separate storm sewer system permittees that are adequate and consistent when considering the costs to local jurisdictions. The bill would require the state board and the regional boards to continue using available regulatory tools and 26 other approaches to foster collaboration with permittees to implement permit requirements in light of the costs of implementation. Position SB 427 (Eggman D) Water theft: enhanced penalties. Status: 7/23/2021-S. CHAPTERED Summary: Would authorize the legislative body of a local agency, as defined, that provides water service to adopt an ordinance that prohibits water theft, as defined, subject to an administrative fine or penalty in excess of the limitations above, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to adopt an ordinance that sets forth the administrative procedures governing the imposition, enforcement, collection, and administrative review of the administrative fines or penalties for water theft and to establish a process for granting a hardship waiver to reduce the amount of the fine, as specified. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Favor SB 456 (Laird D) Fire prevention: wildfire and forest resilience: action plan: reports. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: Current law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and requires the department to be responsible for, among other things, fire protection and prevention, as provided. The former Governor, Edmund G. Brown Jr., issued an executive order relating to, among other subjects, the streamlining of permitting for landowner- initiated projects for the improvement of forest health and the reduction of forest fire fuels on their properties. Pursuant to this executive order, a Forest Management Task Force involving specified state agencies was convened and an action plan was created. This bill would rename the task force the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force and require the task force, including the agency and the department, on January 1, 2022, to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the action plan, as provided. The bill would require the implementation strategy to address specified actions, including increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities, as provided. Position SB 463 (Dahle R) Water: landowner right to modify, repair, or replace jointly used conduits. Status: 7/14/2021-A. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law declares that the general welfare requires that the water sources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable, that the waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable method of use of water be prevented, and that the conservation of water is to be exercised with a view to the reasonable and beneficial use of water in the interest of the people and for the public welfare. Current law provides for contribution of expenses of, and proceedings for declaration of rights in, jointly used wells, pumping plants, or conduits used by 2 or more persons. This bill would authorize a landowner to, where a conduit is constructed across or buried beneath the lands of 2 or more landowners, and the conduit is not under the control or management of any public agency or authority, modify, repair, or replace, as defined, the conduit on or beneath their land if the modification, repair, or replacement is made in a manner that does not impede the flow of the water to any other property receiving a benefit of the conduit or, otherwise injure any person using or interested in the conduit. Position SB 480 (Stern D) Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: rules: inappropriate conduct. Status: 8/19/2021-A. INACTIVE FILE Summary: The Metropolitan Water District Act provides for the creation of metropolitan water districts and specifies the powers and purposes of a district. The act requires the Metropolitan 27 Water District of Southern California to establish and operate an Office of Ethics and adopt rules relating to internal disclosure, lobbying, conflicts of interest, contracts, campaign contributions, and ethics for application to its board members, officers, and employees. This bill would require the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to adopt rules relating to inappropriate conduct, as defined, by board members, officers, and employees. Position SB 482 (Hueso D) Salton Sea: long-term strategy. Status: 4/30/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law, including the Salton Sea Restoration Act , specifies various sources of funding for Salton Sea restoration and mitigation projects, and provides for the allocation of various responsibilities among state agencies and regional water agencies for implementation and administration of those projects. This bill would require the secretary to work with local stakeholders to develop a long-term strategy for the Salton Sea. The bill would require the long- term strategy to, among other things, assess the environmental impacts and economic viability of the Salton Sea, identify challenges to enacting a long-term strategy, and provide recommendations for addressing the identified challenges. Position SB 526 (Min D) Community water systems: lead user service lines. Status: 4/30/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires, by July 1, 2020, a community water system with known lead user service lines in use in its distribution system to provide a timeline for replacement of those lines to the State Water Resources Control Board. Current law requires the state board to review and approve an established timeline, and requires, if the state board fails to act within 30 days of the submission of the timeline, the timeline to be deemed approved. Current law authorizes the state board to enforce these requirements, as specified, and a violation is considered a violation of the California Safe Drinking Water Act, subjecting the violator to specified civil and criminal penalties. This bill would, until January 1, 2025, require a community water system to remove or replace the full lead user service line, if the community water system disturbs, removes, or replaces a portion thereof. The bill would apply the above-described enforcement provisions to a violation of the requirements of the bill, thereby creating a state-mandated local program by expanding the scope of crimes under the California Safe Drinking Water Act. Position Watch Association Positions Association of California Water Agencies - Watch SB 527 (Melendez R) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: high-speed rail: Salton Sea restoration. Status: 4/30/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Would eliminate the continuous appropriation of 25% of the annual proceeds of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the High-Speed Rail Authority on June 30, 2022. The bill, beginning with the 2022–23 fiscal year, would annually transfer 25% of the annual proceeds of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the Salton Sea Restoration Fund. This bill contains other existing laws. Position SB 533 (Stern D) Electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation plans: deenergization events. Status: 9/9/2021-S. CONCURRENCE Summary: Would require that an electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan identify circuits that have frequently been deenergized to mitigate the risk of wildfire and the measures taken, or planned to be taken, by the electrical corporation to reduce the need for, and impact of, future deenergization of those circuits, including the estimated annual decline in circuit deenergization 28 and deenergization impact on customers, and replacing, hardening, or undergrounding any portion of the circuit or of upstream transmission or distribution lines. Position SB 552 (Hertzberg D) Drought planning: small water suppliers: nontransient noncommunity water systems. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLMENT Summary: Current law required the Department of Water Resources, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board, to propose to the Governor and the Legislature, by January 1, 2020, recommendations and guidance relating to the development and implementation of countywide drought and water shortage contingency plans to address the planning needs of small water suppliers and rural communities, as provided. This bill would require small water suppliers, as defined, serving 1,000 to 2,999 service connections, inclusive, and nontransient noncommunity water systems that are schools, no later than July 1, 2023, to develop and maintain an abridged Water Shortage Contingency Plan that includes specified drought-planning elements. Position SB 559 (Hurtado D) Department of Water Resources: water conveyance systems: Water Conveyance Restoration Fund. Status: 9/8/2021-A. INACTIVE FILE Summary: Would establish the Water Conveyance Restoration Fund in the State Treasury to be administered by the Department of Water Resources in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bill would require all moneys deposited in the fund to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, in support of subsidence repair costs, including environmental planning, permitting, design, and construction and necessary road and bridge upgrades required to accommodate capacity improvements. The bill would require the Director of Water Resources to apportion money appropriated from the fund, subject to specified requirements, for the Friant-Kern Canal, Delta-Mendota Canal, San Luis Field Division of the California Aqueduct, and San Joaquin Division of the California Aqueduct. Position SB 594 (Glazer D) Elections: redistricting. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: The California Constitution establishes the Citizens Redistricting Commission for the purpose of drawing district lines for the election of Members of the State Senate, Assembly, Congress, and the State Board of Equalization, and requires the commission to do so by August 15 in each year ending in the number one thereafter. For redistricting occurring in 2021, the Supreme Court of California, by peremptory writ of mandate in Legislature of State of California v. Padilla (2020) 9 Cal.5th 867, extended that deadline to December 15, 2021, or to a later date if specified conditions are met, due to a delay in the release of federal census data caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill would, for the June 7, 2022, statewide direct primary election, make various changes, as specified, to existing law relating to candidate nominations and compilation of registered voter data in order to accommodate the extended state redistricting deadline. Position SB 626 (Dodd D) Department of Water Resources: Procurement Methods. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: Current law authorizes the Department of Transportation, regional transportation agencies, and the San Diego Association of Governments to engage in a Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method (CM/GC method) for specified public work projects. This bill would, until January 1, 2033, authorize the Department of Water Resources to utilize the CM/GC method, as specified, for no more than 7 projects for elements of State Water Facilities, as defined. The bill would require the Department of Water Resources, on all projects delivered by the department, to use department employees or consultants under contract with the department to perform all project design and engineering services related to design, and construction inspection services, required for the CM/GC method consistent with specified existing law. 29 Position SB 683 (Ochoa Bogh R) Water quality: regional municipal separate storm sewer system permits. Status: 4/30/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Would require, to the extent permitted by federal law, a regional board that issues a municipal separate storm sewer system permit pursuant to the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program to a region rather than to an individual discharger to include specified elements in the permit and to meet and collaborate with the permittees before or during the permit writing process. Position SB 708 (Melendez R) Water shortage emergencies: declarations: deenergization events. Status: 7/9/2021-S. CHAPTERED Summary: Would authorize the governing body of a public water supplier to declare a water shortage emergency condition without holding a public hearing in the event of a deenergization event, as defined. Position SB 716 (McGuire D) Land use: habitat restoration and enhancement: mitigation lands. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLMENT Summary: The Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act authorizes a project proponent to submit a habitat restoration or enhancement project to the Director of Fish and Wildlife for approval. This bill would extend the operation of the act until January 1, 2027, and would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to submit a report on the implementation of the act to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2025. Position SB 776 (Gonzalez D) Safe drinking water and water quality. Status: 9/9/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: The California Safe Drinking Water Act requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Current law provides that the California Safe Drinking Water Act does not apply to small state water systems, except as specified. This bill would expand the application of the act to small state water systems, as specified. Position SB 789 (Rubio D) Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Status: 4/30/2021-S. 2 YEAR Summary: Current law requires the State Water Resources Control Board, by January 1, 2018, and in collaboration with specified entities, to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Current law authorizes the board to consider existing rate assistance programs authorized by the Public Utilities Commission in developing the plan and authorizes the plan to include recommendations for other cost-effective methods of offering assistance to low-income water customers. This bill would require the board to administer the program, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would limit eligibility for the program to a person that is both a low-income water customer and financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Position Watch Association Positions None 30 SB 821 (Committee on Natural Resources and Water) Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Delta Independent Science Board. Status: 9/3/2021-S. ENROLLED Summary: Current law establishes the Delta Independent Science Board and sets forth the composition of the board, including requiring the board to consist of no more than 10 members appointed by the Delta Stewardship Council. Current law requires the board to provide oversight of the scientific research, monitoring, and assessment programs that support adaptive management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through periodic reviews of each of those programs, as specified. Current law requires the board to submit to the council a report on the results of each review, including recommendations for any changes in the programs reviewed by the board. This bill would require the council to contract for the services of the members of the board, as specified. The bill would exempt these contracts from specified provisions of law governing public contracting. The bill would require the council to establish procedures for contracting for the services that are subject to these contracts. Position Teresa Cooke Policy Director Gianna SetoudehPolicy Advisor Otay Water District PRL&L Committee Meeting Presentation Presented By September 21, 2021 Attachment C bhfs.com | Teresa Cooke Gianna Setoudeh Introductions © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 2 bhfs.com | End of Session Update 2021 © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 3 bhfs.com | 2021 Recap –Legislation •Legislature adjourned for Interim Recess on September 10 and will reconvene in January 2022 •Legislature introduced 2,776 bills, resolutions andconstitutional amendments in 2021 •Approximately 900 passed; just under 700 currently on Governor’s desk •Over 1,100 2-year and inactive file bills •410 bills & resolutions signed and/or adopted thus far;0 vetoes © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 4 bhfs.com | 2021 Recap –District Priority Issues •AB 1434 (Friedman)related to indoor residential water use; Position –Oppose; Status– 2-year bill •SB 222 (Dodd) related to water rate assistance; Position –Watch; Status –Inactive File •SB 223 (Dodd)related to discontinuation of residential water service; Position –Watch;Status – 2-year bill •SB 323 (Caballero) related to statute of limitations for water and sewer rates; Position–Watch; Status –On Governor’s Desk •SB 155 (Budget and Fiscal Review) budget trailer bill related to discontinuation ofwater service extension through December 31, 2021, among other provisions. Position–Watch; Status –on Governor’s Desk •SB 170 (Budget and Fiscal Review)budget bill jr. including funding for water resilience,climate and wildfires among other provisions; Position –Watch; Status –on Governor’sDesk © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 5 bhfs.com | 2021 Recap –District Priority Issues •COVID-19 Water and Wastewater Arrearage Funding in State Budget; Position: Support $1B for arrearages; Status –$1B funding provided in 2021-22 state budgetand program being implemented now •Advanced Clean Fleet Rule; Position –Seek exemption for emergency service vehicles, provide comment letter and meet with appropriate staff; Status –Comments onproposed draft language due September 27, anticipaterelease of final regulatory text in mid-2022 © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 6 bhfs.com | 2021 Recap –Top 10 Issues Revisited •COVID-19 Related Financial Assistance for the District and for its customers •Water Quality •Water Use and Efficiency •Recycled Water •Veteran Advocacy in the Water Industry •Wildfires and Climate Change •Climate Resiliency/Water Bonds •Voluntary Agreements/Bay-Delta •Delta Conveyance/State Water Project •Water Resilience Portfolio © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 7 bhfs.com | Next Steps •Governor has until October 10 to sign/veto all bills – continue to monitor for Governor’s final actions •Monitor for 2022 Legislative Calendar –includes keylegislative deadlines •Monitor for informational hearings of interest and regulatory issues over fall •Continue efforts on Advanced Clean Fleet Rule •Continue introductory meetings with members of theOtay Water District Delegation © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 8 bhfs.com | Next Steps •BHFS Engagement –Current 3-year contract ends December 31, 2021 •Potential 2022 Issues –water use and efficiencylegislation/regulatory issues; water affordabilitylegislation; discontinuation of water service; COVID-19 recovery legislation; water conservation and drought legislation/executive orders; Advanced Clean FleetsFinal Rulemaking and regulation © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 9 bhfs.com | Questions? © 2020 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 10 1 STAFF REPORT TYPE MEETING: Regular Board Meeting MEETING DATE: October 6, 2021 SUBMITTED BY: Eileen Salmeron, Communications Assistant PROJECT: Various DIV. NO. All APPROVED BY: Tenille Otero, Communications Officer Jose Martinez, General Manager SUBJECT: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics Update GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION: No recommendation. This is an informational item only. COMMITTEE ACTION: See Attachment B. PURPOSE: To provide the Board with an update on the Otay Water District’s social media, mobile application, and website analytics. ANALYSIS: District communications staff provides news to its customers and the public using online information-sharing services such as social media and its website. Social media engagement enhances the interaction between the public and public agencies, allowing staff to provide timely and up-to-date information regarding the District’s programs, events, and local- and state-wide news. It also increases the reach to demographics that do not regularly consume traditional media. Staff manages and monitors the District’s social media and online presence daily and stays current with evolving social media and web trends. Staff also manages the District’s “Make Every Drop Count” mobile application. AGENDA ITEM 4 2 In November 2020, staff provided the Board with the District’s social media and otaywater.gov website analytics for fiscal year 2020. Included in Attachment B are the analytics for fiscal year 2021. Social Media Through the District’s social media presence, its online audience and stakeholder engagement has increased steadily each year. Staff continues its online reach to promote programs, such as education, conservation, operational efficiencies, and capital improvement projects. Staff increases its social media followers and engagement by creating visual content, frequently using hashtags, publishing posts in English and Spanish, and partnering with other water agencies and organizations to launch water-related campaigns and programs. The District uses the following social media platforms: • YouTube – Joined November 2010 • Twitter – Joined February 2011 • Facebook – Joined November 2011 • Nextdoor – Joined July 2016 • LinkedIn – Joined August 2017 • Instagram – Joined November 2018 The social media analytics report in Attachment B shows a comparison of the cumulative number of followers the District has gained in the last two fiscal years. Twitter: From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of Twitter followers increased by 5%, from 2,070 to 2,166. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District continues to be number one with the most Twitter followers. Instagram: From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of Instagram followers increased by 34%, from 691 to 927. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is number one with the most Instagram followers. LinkedIn: From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of LinkedIn followers increased by 19%, from 586 to 696. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is in the top two with the most LinkedIn followers. Facebook: From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of Facebook followers increased by 8%, from 445 to 480. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is in the top six with the most Facebook followers. 3 YouTube: From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of channel subscribers increased by 20%, from 96 to 115. Also, YouTube video views increased by 15%, from 101,516 to 117,075. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is number one with the most subscribers. Nextdoor: Nextdoor is unlike the other social media platforms regarding followers. Nextdoor followers, or rather members, are based on the number of residents within the District’s service area who have joined the platform. If they are in the District’s service area, then they are automatically subscribed to receive the District’s posts. Since all the District’s followers are customers, staff uses the platform to geo-target specific neighborhoods within its service area to share messaging and communicate with the residents. From June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the number of Nextdoor members in the District’s service area increased by 4%, from 48,463 to 50,172. Use of Social Media During COVID-19: During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has become an essential tool for communicating with customers. Throughout the pandemic, staff has continued to post weekly or as necessary to address financial assistance, the safety of water supplies, and other District-related services. Attachment B includes examples of COVID-19-related posts published to all District social media platforms. Communications staff will continue to assess its current use of social media platforms, including paid social media advertising, and their effectiveness. Mobile App In 2020, IT and communications staff collaborated to enhance the District’s “Make Every Drop Count” mobile application. Staff implemented a soft launch of the app for iOS and Android users in December 2020. The District first launched the app in August 2015. To keep up with the changing technology, encourage water-use efficiency, and ensure customer satisfaction, staff made enhancements to the app’s design and features, including utility bill payment, water waste reports, programs and resources, water-saving tips, water-use restrictions, contact information, and social media interaction. As of Sept. 13, 2021, there have been 5,024 iOS downloads and 130 Android downloads. Staff plans to officially launch the improved application later in 2021 through a news release, the website, the newsletter, bill inserts, social media, and other marketing tools. After the official launch, staff will monitor the downloads and report those to the board in 2022. 4 Website Staff also manages and maintains the District’s website, otaywater.gov. The goal is to better serve customers by enhancing the District’s web presence and user-friendliness, communicating the most current information, and visually conveying that it is using state-of-the-art technologies and is a forward-thinking agency. Attachment B includes the District’s website analytics. During fiscal year 2021, its top 20 most viewed website pages were the following: 1) Home Page 2) Payment Options 3) Customer Service 4) Billing Information 5) Employment 6) Start or Terminate Service 7) Contact Us 8) COVID-19 9) Update Your Account 10) Start or Terminate Service Form 11) Engineering Bids 12) Board Agenda and Minutes 13) About Otay 14) Otay Employees 15) Water Services 16) Board of Directors 17) Public Services 18) Rebates 19) Water Agency Search Results 20) Outages In fiscal year 2021, its web page views decreased by 9% compared to fiscal year 2020. Fiscal years 2020 and 2021 comparison charts (Attachment B - slide 15) are very similar in views and users with some increases and decreases at certain points in time. Web page views and users during fiscal years 2020 and 2021 seem to be lower than previous years. Although staff cannot specifically confirm the reason but believes that this could be due to the public’s focus on COVID-19-related issues more than anything else during those two years. As shown in the charts comparing fiscal years 2019 and 2020, (Attachment B - slide 16), staff found that the decline in views began during the COVID-19 outbreak in April 2020. Although, there was a decline in page views, staff noticed that the top eight pages viewed during fiscal year 2021 were related to COVID-19 impacts, for example billing and financial information, customer service, employment, and COVID-19 information. 5 About 85% of its website users were new, and about 15% were returning. Attachment B shows how users arrived to the website and which URLs are considered the top 10 referral sources. To address the Spanish-speaking population and ratepayers in the District’s service area, its website includes functionality that displays most of the web pages in Spanish. Staff works with a consultant to have the English content translated to Spanish. As part of its strategic plan, staff assesses and implements ways to improve the website. That includes enhancing its functionality and navigational structure, crafting content aligned with key messaging, conveying information searched by visitors in English and Spanish, and publishing content more frequently to keep pages attractive and engaging. Critical to owning, maintaining, and cultivating an integrated communications, outreach, and marketing strategy, staff will continue to explore best practices for cross-promoting messaging through social media, its website, and other outreach tools. It will post new content to social media platforms, including videos, photos, graphics, and other material as necessary depending on the topic, resources available, and value added. It will also continue to work closely with IT staff to evaluate best practices for websites and monitor online trends to effectively reach customers. FISCAL IMPACT: Joe Beachem, Chief Financial Officer There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. STRATEGIC GOAL: Execute and deliver services that meet or exceed customer expectations, and increase customer engagement in order to improve District Services. LEGAL IMPACT: None. Attachments: A) Committee Action B) Presentation: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics 6 ATTACHMENT A SUBJECT/PROJECT: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics Update COMMITTEE ACTION: The Conservation, Public Relations, Legal and Legislative Committee (Committee) reviewed this item at a meeting held on September 21, 2021. The attachment will be updated with notes from the committee’s discussion. Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics Conservation, Public Relations, Legal, and Legislative CommitteeSeptember 21, 2021 Otay Water District Attachment B 48,463 50,172 NEXTDOOR 2,070 691 586 445 96 2,166 927 696 480 115 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 As of June 30, 2020 As of June 30, 2021 34%19%5%8%20% Growth in Followers SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS 4% Water Agency Comparison FACEBOOK Agency Followers SDCWA 9,834 Vallecitos 2,300 Sweetwater 1,177 Padre 686 Helix 578 Olivenhain 516 Otay 486 INSTAGRAM Agency Followers SDCWA 2,603 Otay 947 Padre 846 LINKEDIN Agency Followers SDCWA 6,191 Sweetwater 1,169 Otay 707 YOUTUBE Agency Subscribers SDCWA 953 Otay 117 Olivenhain 112 -Stats as of July 27, 2021.-Nextdoor does not provide access to view other agency pages or analytics.-SDCWA is a wholesale agency. Therefore, Otay is the retail agency with the most followers for most platforms.-Cities/municipalities are not included in this comparison since they provide additional services other thanwater and sewer. TWITTER Agency Followers SDCWA 5,842 Otay 2,167 Sweetwater 2,062 Twitter Highlights for FY 21 HIGHEST ENGAGEMENTSHIGHEST IMPRESSIONS ImpressionsEngagements Impressions: 3,127 |Engagements: 28 Impressions: 2,403 |Engagements: 60 Instagram Highlights for FY 2021 HIGHEST ENGAGEMENTSHIGHEST IMPRESSIONS ImpressionsEngagements Impressions: 314 |Engagements: 22 Impressions: 236 |Engagements: 37 LinkedIn Highlights for FY 21 HIGHEST ENGAGEMENTSHIGHEST IMPRESSIONS Impressions: 421 |Engagements: 16 Impressions: 283 |Engagements: 38 TOP INDUSTRIES FOLLOWING OTAY: UTILITIESGOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION CONSTRUCTIONCIVIL ENGINEERINGENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 4.77% 5.35%6.36%10.26% 21.97% Facebook Highlights for FY 21 ORGANIC POSTPAID POST ImpressionsEngagements Impressions: 18,574 |Engagements: 835 Impressions: 580 |Engagements: 3,455 YouTube Highlights for FY 21 MOST VIEWED VIDEO IN FY 21 CHANNEL VIDEO VIEWS FISCAL YEAR VIEWS RECEIVEDDURING FY TOTAL VIEWS 2021 15,559 117,075 2020 14,659 101,516 6%15% 137 5742,6873,268 14,022External Suggested Videos YouTube SearchDirect or UnknownBrowse Features Views in FY 21: 3,424 Views since published: 20,493 TRAFFIC SOURCES (SINCE PUBLISHED) Nextdoor Highlights for FY 21 HIGHEST IMPRESSIONS & ENGAGEMENTS ImpressionsEngagements Impressions: 36,529 |Engagements: 34 OTAY RANCH VILLAGE 1 EASTLAKE GREENS ROLLING HILLS RANCH RANCHO SAN DIEGO EASTLAKE SAN MIGUEL RANCH EASTLAKE TRAILS EASTLAKE VISTAS SPRING VALLEY VILLAGE OF MONTECITO TOP NEIGHBORHOODS FOLLOWING OTAY: 11971257 1288 1393 1580160 1933 2298 2495 3479 Posted Aug. 11, 2020 COVID-19 Posts for FY 21 SUPPORT VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE RENT & UTILITY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LATE PENALTIES REINSTATED WHAT NOT TO FLUSHSUPPORT THE GARDENWORLD WATER DAY MOBILE APP ANALYTICS SOFT LAUNCH: December 2020 iOS DOWNLOADS: 5,024 ANDROID DOWNLOADS: 130 WEBSITE ANALYTICS PAGE VIEWS PAGE VIEWS 1. Home Page 42.99%11. Engineering Bids 1.16% 2. Payment Options 9.22%12. Board Agenda and Minutes 1.09% 3. Customer Service 4.17%13. About Otay 1.04% 4. Billing Information 3.47%14. Otay Employees .98% 5. Employment 3.44%15. Water Services .90% 6. Start or Terminate Service 2.22%16. Board of Directors .88% 7. Contact Us 1.87%17. Public Services .86% 8. COVID-19 1.57%18. Rebates .82% 9. Update Your Account 1.41%19. Water Agency Search Results .82% 10. Start or Terminate Service Form 1.37%20. Outages .67% Most Viewed Pages Total Page Views in FY 2021: 373,178 Comparison of Total Page Views 449,179 410,260 373,178 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000 500,000 PAGE VIEWS As of June 30, 2019 As of June 30, 2020 As of June 30, 2021 9%9% Comparison of Total Users 163,942 158,857 129,924 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 180,000 USERS As of June 30, 2019 As of June 30, 2020 As of June 30, 2021 3%18% Year Comparison Year Comparison –Last year’s charts New Users vs. Returning Users New Users, 84.90% Returning Users, 15.10% Total Users in FY 2021: 129,924 How Users Arrived to otaywater.gov Direct 56.10%Organic Search 40.80% Referral 2.50%Social Media 0.60% Total Users in FY 2021: 129,924 Referral Sources Total Referrals in FY 2021: 4,119 1.sdcwa.org –San Diego County Water Authority website 2. m.facebook.com –Facebook mobile 3. duckduckgo.com –Search engine 4. governmentjobs.com –Government job search site 5. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox –Android Google search app 6. baidu.com –Chinese multinational technology company (search engine) 7. facebook.com –Facebook mobile 8. sharepoint2016.otay.local –Otay Water District SharePoint 9. t.co –Shortened links from Twitter 10. com.google.android.gm –Gmail Android app Top 10 Cities 0.82% 0.88% 1.52% 1.62% 3.58% 5.77% 6.60% 12.19% 21.79% 34.46%CHULA VISTA SAN DIEGO SPRING VALLEY FALLBROOK LOS ANGELES EL CAJON SANTEE LA MESA SAN JOSE IRVINE Total Users in FY 2021: 129,924 2.14% 1.92% 4.52% 19.02% 34.39% 38.01% 1.00% 20.73% 78.27%iOS ANDROID WINDOWS Top 5 Computer Browsers Top Mobile Operating Systems Total Mobile Users in FY 2021: 44,547Total Users in FY 2021: 129,924 CHROME SAFARI INTERNET EXPLORER EDGE FIREFOX Questions? Otay Water District otaywater.gov (619) 670-2222 Email: info@otaywater.gov Social Media