Preliminary Comments on AB 401 Implementation Feb 6, 2017 Comment Letters Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Affordable Safe Drinking Water [Association of California Water Agencies’ Preliminary Comments Regarding the Development of a Draft Plan for the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program (AB 401, Dodd, 2015)] Letter excerpt: ACWA suggests that the SWRCB host meetings with stakeholders to facilitate a dialogue on how the level of need should be determined. If the SWRCB, the water community and other stakeholders can reach alignment on what “affordable” means, how the scope of the need should be determined and what that need is, there will be a solid foundation for engagement on other issues in this program. There have been some signals that staff may want to rush finalization of the Plan and the report. Under AB 401, the Plan is due by January 1, 2018, and the report is due by February 1, 2018. This timeframe in the law was developed to allow for legislation in 2018. In a meeting in December, staff was indicating that they were thinking about finishing the Plan and report early so that there could be legislation in 2017. We recommend that consistent with AB 401 the Plan development be collaborative and not be rushed. Download ACWA’s comment letter
