Assigned to NRAE                                                                                                                                FOR COMMITTEE

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1158

 

effluent reuse; task force report

 

Purpose

 

Continues the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Effluent Reuse until February 1, 2006 and defers the final report of findings and recommendations until December 31, 2005.

 

Background

 

Effluent reuse is the beneficial use of wastewater that has been treated to meet certain standards.  According to the Department of Water Resources (DWR), there are many reasons that effluent reuse is being sought to meet future needs, such as the increasing costs of freshwater development, extending the use of existing water resources and the desirability of establishing comprehensive water resource planning, including water conservation and water reclamation.

 

The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Effluent Reuse (task force) was established during the 2000 regular session to evaluate available research and information on the reuse of effluent, determine the need for additional areas of study and make recommendations on identifying obstacles to the increased reuse of treated effluent, appropriate consumptive uses of treated effluent, methods of increasing the use of treated effluent and measures to improve public acceptance of the use of treated effluent.  Current statute requires the task force to submit an initial report by December 1, 2000 and a final report by December 1, 2002.  The task force is repealed on February 1, 2003.

 

Although an initial report was submitted in January 2001, the task force was unable to include formal recommendations because a quorum was not present.  However, in December of 2002, the task force formally recognized the need to further explore a variety of topics, including emerging effluent reuse technology, and recommended that the task force be continued for an additional three years.

 

S.B. 1158 defers the repeal of the task force until February 1, 2006 and postpones the final presentation of findings and recommendations to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor until December 31, 2005. There is no known fiscal impact to the state general fund relating to the provisions of this bill.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Changes the repeal date for the task force from February 1, 2003 to February 1, 2006.

 

2.      Adds a requirement that an interim report of the task force findings and recommendations be given by December 1, 2002 to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor.

3.      Defers the deadline for submitting final task force findings and recommendations to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor from December 1, 2002 until December 31, 2005.

 

4.      Requires that a copy of the interim and final reports be submitted to the Secretary of State and the director of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. 

 

5.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

6.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

January 28, 2002