The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) shall be available for appropriation by the Legislature from the fund for the purpose of protecting state, local, and regional drinking water systems from terrorist attack or deliberate acts of destruction or degradation. This money may be expended or granted for monitoring and early warning systems, fencing, protective structures, contamination treatment facilities, emergency interconnections, communications systems, and other projects designed to prevent damage to water treatment, distribution, and supply facilities, to prevent disruption of drinking water deliveries, and to protect drinking water supplies from intentional contamination.
Chapter 3Water Security
Section § 79520
This law sets aside $50 million to improve the security of drinking water systems across the state of California. The funds can be used to prevent terrorist attacks or intentional damage through projects like monitoring and early warning systems, protective structures, treatment facilities, and improved communication systems. The goal is to protect water treatment, distribution, and supplies from intentional harm and ensure safe water delivery.
drinking water protection terrorist attack prevention water systems security funding for water safety water contamination treatment emergency interconnections protective structures for water facilities monitoring systems for water early warning systems water distribution security intentional contamination prevention water communication systems infrastructure protection public safety water supply regional water security
Section § 79521
This law allows the California Legislature to pass any laws needed to put this chapter into action.
The Legislature may enact such legislation as is necessary to implement this chapter.
Legislative authority chapter implementation enact legislation legislative measures law implementation statutory authority enabling legislation chapter enactment state legislature legal framework law statute chapter provisions legislative process law execution government powers
Section § 79522
This law section states that funds given under Section 79520 are to be used by the State Department of Public Health for specific purposes. This department must work with the Office of Emergency Services and local water agencies to set spending priorities and create grant criteria. Importantly, these funds cannot be used to cover costs from before the criteria are established, and the grants must not replace funding for existing water system duties.
(a)CA Water Code § 79522(a) Funds made available pursuant to Section 79520 shall be appropriated to the State Department of Public Health to carry out this chapter consistent with the requirements and for the purposes specified in Section 79520.
(b)CA Water Code § 79522(b) In the development of priorities for expenditure of the funds appropriated for the purposes of this section, the State Department of Public Health shall consult with the Office of Emergency Services and local water agencies to develop criteria for the department’s programs.
(c)CA Water Code § 79522(c) Funds allocated pursuant to this section shall not be available for grants that reimburse project costs incurred prior to the
adoption of criteria for the grants provided in this section.
(d)CA Water Code § 79522(d) No grant funds may be awarded to supplant funding for the routine responsibilities or obligations of any state, local, or regional drinking water system.
State Department of Public Health Office of Emergency Services local water agencies fund appropriation expenditure priorities grant criteria development grant eligibility reimbursement restrictions existing water system funding allocation of funds drinking water systems project cost restrictions
