Public housing: lead testing.

Existing law prohibits a person from using any pipe, pipe or plumbing fitting or fixture, solder, or flux that is not lead free in the installation or repair of any public water system or any plumbing in a facility providing water for human consumption, except when necessary for the repair of leaded joints of cast iron pipes. Existing law requires a community water system to compile an inventory of known lead user service lines in use in its distribution system and identify areas that may have lead user service lines in use in its distribution system, as provided. This bill would require the owner of a public housing unit that is owned or managed by a city, county, city and county, or city, county, or city and county housing authority, to provide information to the residents of the public housing unit regarding any applicable existing program that offers free testing of the water for lead. Because a local government would be required to provide a higher level of service by implementing its provisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.