Statement from Sen. Glazer

SACRAMENTO – I want to thank Gov. Jerry Brown for signing SB 558, which allows the Secretary of State to place my rainwater recycling measure on the June 2018 ballot.

The measure, SCA 9, would allow property owners to install rainwater capture systems without triggering a reassessment of the value of their property and an increase in their property taxes. It is modeled after a similar exclusion that helped the solar industry get off the ground back in the 1980s.

If approved by the voters, this rainwater recycling measure could play a key part in California’s overall strategy of conserving our most precious resource, water.

Boom and bust cycles of rain may be the new norm as we face the disruptive power of climate change. Conservation and water storage are key elements of allowing California to thrive despite these future difficulties. 

It is my hope that small scale water storage systems will follow the path of rooftop solar systems that allow property owners to save money and contribute to the conservation of finite resources.

Rainwater capture systems collect, store and use rainwater for landscape irrigation and other non-potable uses. The rainwater is collected from various surfaces such as rooftops and other man-made aboveground hard surfaces. It is estimated that a rainwater capture system can collect 10,000 gallons annually from 1,500 square foot roof in a moderate rainfall region.

Gov. Brown said it best in his recent State of the State address: “As the climate changes and more water arrives as rain instead of snow, it is crucial that we are able to capture the overflow in a timely and responsible way. That, together with recycling and rainwater recapture, will put us in the best position to use water wisely and in the most efficient way possible.”

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