SECTIONS 12946-12947 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 12946-12947

12946. It is hereby declared that the people of the state have a
primary interest in the development of economical saline water
conversion processes which could eliminate the necessity for
additional facilities to transport water over long distances, or
supplement the services to be provided by such facilities, and
provide a direct and easily managed water supply to assist in meeting
the future water requirements of the state.

12947. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the growing
water needs of the state require the development of cost effective
and efficient water supply technologies. Desalination technology is
now feasible to help provide significant new water supplies from
seawater, brackish water, and reclaimed water. Desalination
technology can also provide an effective means of treating some types
of contamination in water supplies. Desalination is consistent with
both state water supply and efficiency policy goals, and joint
state-federal environmental and water policy and principles promoted
by the Cal-Fed Bay Delta Program.
(b) It is the policy of this state that desalination projects
developed by or for public water entities be given the same
opportunities for state assistance and funding as other water supply
and reliability projects, and that desalination be consistent with
all applicable environmental protection policies in the state.
(c) It is the intention of the Legislature that the department
shall undertake to find economic and efficient methods of desalting
saline water so that desalted water may be made available to help
meet the growing water requirements of the state.