CA SB971

Requires small water suppliers with 1,000 to 2,999 service connections to prepare and adopt a water shortage contingency plan including water supply assessment, drought contacts, mutual aid participation, triggering mechanisms, and public education components.

Requires small water suppliers with 15 to 999 service connections to identify a drought contact, coordinate with regional water planning groups, install water measurement devices if well-reliant, participate in mutual aid networks, and educate customers about water shortage resources.

Requires counties at risk of drought or water shortage to integrate drought and water shortage planning into existing county plans, use state risk analysis to prioritize deficiencies, and establish a standing county drought and water shortage task force with representatives from local governments and community organizations.

Requires the Department of Water Resources to maintain and annually update a risk vulnerability tool for small water suppliers and rural communities, and requires the State Water Resources Control Board to identify state small water systems, small water suppliers, rural communities, and domestic well concentrations through a data system.

Establishes a standing interagency drought and water shortage task force led by the Department of Water Resources in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board and other state agencies to coordinate predrought planning and postdrought emergency response.