(a) There is hereby established the Office of Sustainable Water Solutions within the state board, which may be administered by the state board as a separate organizational unit or within the state board’s divisions or offices.

(b) The purpose of the office is to promote permanent and sustainable drinking water and wastewater treatment solutions to ensure the effective and efficient provision of safe, clean, affordable, and reliable drinking water and wastewater treatment services. In furtherance of this purpose, the office may take, but is not limited to, all of the following actions:

(1) Coordinating with and providing assistance to small drinking water systems, wastewater treatment systems, and disadvantaged communities without drinking water or wastewater treatment systems.

(2) Promoting and facilitating regional drinking water and wastewater projects.

(3) Promoting and facilitating regional solutions, including consolidation of existing water districts, expansion of existing water districts to serve communities unserved by public water systems and wastewater treatment systems, and extension of services to underserved communities and disadvantaged communities.

(4) Advancing the delivery of affordable, safe drinking water to disadvantaged communities throughout the state.

(5) Providing technical assistance to disadvantaged communities and small drinking water systems and wastewater systems, including grant application assistance, outreach and education in vulnerable communities, financial management support, and facilitation of discussions within and between communities.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 2, Sec. 6. (AB 92) Effective March 27, 2015.)