SB 659: California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023.

Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to update every 5 years the plan for the orderly and coordinated control, protection, conservation, development, and use of the water resources of the state, which is known as The California Water Plan. Existing law requires the department to establish an advisory committee, composed of representatives of agricultural and urban water suppliers, local government, business, production agriculture, and environmental interests, and other interested parties, to assist the department in the updating of the California Water Plan. Existing law requires the department to include a discussion of various strategies in the plan update, including, but not limited to, strategies relating to the development of new water storage facilities, water conservation, water recycling, desalination, conjunctive use, water transfers, and alternative pricing policies that may be pursued in order to meet the future needs of the state.

This bill would establish the California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023 to require the department, as part of the 2028 update, and each subsequent update thereafter to the California Water Plan, to provide actionable recommendations to develop additional groundwater recharge opportunities that increase the recharge of the states groundwater basins, as provided. The bill would require the department to consult with the State Water Resources Control Board, the 9 regional water quality control boards, and the advisory committee, which may be enlarged as provided, in carrying out these provisions. The bill would require the recommendations to identify immediate opportunities and potential long-term solutions to increase the states groundwater supply, and include, among other things, best practices to advance all benefits of groundwater recharge, as specified.