Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act: beaches: water quality.

Existing law, the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act, among other things, provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that the purpose of maintaining clean beaches, clean water, and an integrated and coordinated watershed program is to protect beaches, coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and streams from contaminants, pollution, and other environmental threats. The act requires the State Water Resources Control Board, in consultation with the State Coastal Conservancy, to award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for projects designed to improve water quality at public beaches, as specified. This bill would require the board, to the extent feasible, to identify and implement projects to improve beach access and address ocean water quality on public beaches that experience significant restrictions of use, as defined, due to bacteria levels that exceed public health standards, whether the source is from urban runoff or transboundary flows.