California Bill Defining ‘Water Feature’ Up for Senate Approval
Thursday, June 17, 2010, 6:40 p.m. EDT
(Courtesy of Clay Jackson/BowTie Inc.) | A California bill that directs local public agencies to analyze and define “water feature” separately from swimming pools and spas has been amended and is now up for Senate approval. Specifically, Assembly Bill 2409, co-authored by assemblyman Brian Nestande (R-Riverside) and assemblyman Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), revises the Urban Water Management Planning Act to direct cities and counties in urban water management, for purposes of developing a water-shortage contingency analysis, to analyze and define “water features” artificially supplied with water, including fountains, ponds, lakes and waterfalls, separately from swimming pools and spas.
The newly amended version would set forth the California bill with the urban water management plan update due on Dec. 31, 2015. The California bill also now reads that each urban water supplier must update its plan at least once every 5 years on or before Dec 31, in years ending in five and zero.
The California bill, sponsored by the California Spa and Pool Industry Education Council (SPEC), was introduced in February to ensure that agencies treat swimming pools and spas differently than decorative water features. The main concern, according to John Norwood, SPEC president, is that the all-inclusive definition could lead to swimming pools and spas being ordered to shut down in certain emergency situations, if adopted by local agencies for drought ordinances. This, in turn, could cause damage to homeowners’ pools and spas, Norwood said.
Related coverage:
Bill Separating Pools, Spas from 'Water Feature' Definition Advances
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California Bill Defining ‘Water Feature’ Up for Senate Approval
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