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<ns0:Id>20250SB__115399INT</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-18</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>1153</ns0:MeasureNum>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Caballero</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Caballero</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Section 8607.3 to the Government Code, relating to disaster preparedness. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>disaster preparedness</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Disaster preparedness: urban retail water suppliers and public water systems: wildfire.</ns0:Subject>
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<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, requires all public water systems, as defined, with 10,000 or more service connections to review and revise their disaster preparedness plans in conjunction with related agencies, including, but not limited to, local fire departments and the Office of Emergency Services to ensure that the plans are sufficient to address possible disaster scenarios. A person, as defined, who violates the provisions of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor. </html:p>
<html:p>This bill, beginning January 1, 2028, would require all urban retail water suppliers, as defined, serving a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to include incident-specified response procedures for wildfires as part of their disaster preparedness plans, including any applicable emergency response plan as required by federal law. The
bill would require these plans to include mitigation actions, including actions, procedures, and equipment, that can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a wildfire on the water system and the supply of drinking water provided by the water supplier. Because violation of these requirements by certain urban retail water suppliers would constitute a misdemeanor, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would deem the inability of a public water system to maintain water supply or water pressure during a wildfire not a substantial cause of the damages resulting from a wildfire. The bill would also deem the spread of wildfire not an inherent risk presented by the deliberate design, construction, or maintenance of a public water system.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain
costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>YES</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_24EC5D77-0EFB-4187-89CD-BBB102F2604F">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Wildfires are increasing in frequency, severity, and destructive impact in California.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Public water systems are increasingly vulnerable to wildfire, either directly or indirectly, including physical damage to critical infrastructure; disruption of access and operations; interruption of power supplies; degradation of water quality; excessive or uncontrolled water demands; and impairment of pumping, treatment, and distribution capabilities.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Public water systems impacted by wildfires may experience disruptions in water supply or pressure during
wildfire events.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Public water systems are deliberately designed and constructed to provide clean and safe drinking water in accordance with state and federal safe drinking water laws and regulatory requirements.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Existing law, Section 53750.5 of the Government Code, finds that water service is a different and distinct service from fire service, and that water service is a property-related service that aids in the provision of fire service provided to properties. While public water systems are often relied upon to aid firefighting activities, including the use of fire hydrants, they are not intentionally designed or constructed for wildfire defense or suppression. Hydrants are generally designed and installed, consistent with applicable fire codes and industry standards to aid in firefighting, but not to provide water service to aid in extinguishing fires that threaten
property not served by a water service provider or wildfires.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
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Designing and constructing public water systems to function as wildfire defense or suppression systems would be physically impracticable and financially infeasible, and may compromise the quality of water for human consumption and the affordability of drinking water for ratepayers.
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<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
To limit the risks presented by wildfires to water systems and water supply, it is imperative that urban retail water suppliers serving high-risk areas prepare for wildfire incidents and seek to mitigate the impacts of wildfires on the water systems.
</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 8607.3 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Government Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:Num>8607.3.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Beginning January 1, 2028, all urban retail water suppliers serving a high or very high fire hazard severity zone shall include incident-specific response procedures for wildfires as part of their disaster preparedness plans, including any applicable emergency response plan as required by Section 1433(b) of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300i-2). The plans shall include mitigation actions, including actions, procedures, and equipment, that can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a wildfire on the water system and the supply of drinking water provided by that water supplier.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
While public water systems, including wholesale water systems, and the water distributed through them, may be available to aid in
firefighting activities, both of the following shall apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The inability of a public water system to maintain water supply or water pressure during a wildfire shall not be considered a substantial cause of the damages resulting from a wildfire.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The spread of wildfire shall not be considered an inherent risk presented by the deliberate design, construction, or maintenance of a public water system.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to impose a duty on public water systems, including wholesale water systems, to design, construct, or maintain a water system for wildfire defense or suppression. Noncompliance with subdivision (a) shall not be considered a substantial cause of the damages resulting from a wildfire.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of
this section, the following definitions apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“High or very high fire hazard severity zone” means those areas identified by the State Fire Marshal as high or very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Section 51178.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Public water system” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Urban retail water supplier” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (af) of Section 10608.12 of the Water Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Wholesale water system” has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 116455 of the Health and Safety Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Wildfire” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of
Section 51177.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_42FD37CA-E903-429A-B731-C08138B6AFCF">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution.
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