Desalination: statewide goal.

Existing law, the Cobey-Porter Saline Water Conversion Law, states 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. The law provides that is it the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Water Resources 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. This bill would require the department to establish a goal of a specific number of acre-feet of drinking water to be desalinated per year by the year 2025 and of a greater specific number of acre-feet of drinking water to be desalinated per year by the year 2030, as part of a comprehensive water plan that fully evaluates other, specified options.