Salinas Reservoir: recreational use

The law creates a reservoir-specific exception to California’s restriction on swimming and similar water contact in domestic-water reservoirs. It conditions that access on treatment and monitoring intended to protect drinking-water quality.

What the law does ​

• Permits body-contact recreation only after water receives complete treatment, including oxidation, filtration, and disinfection, before domestic use.
• Requires the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to monitor for cryptosporidium, giardia, and coliform bacteria at locations and intervals set by the State Water Resources Control Board.
• Requires monitoring results to be provided within 30 days to water suppliers that directly receive the water, as determined by the board.
• Requires reservoir operations to comply with board regulations and any added health-and-safety conditions imposed by the reservoir operator or board.
• Requires biennial reports to the Legislature and board, beginning two years after the Division of Drinking Water approves the changed use, on recreation, water quality, treatment, and reservoir management.
• Repeals the exception on January 1, 2032.

Who it affects ​

• Recreational users of Salinas Reservoir.
• The San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.
• Water suppliers directly receiving water from the reservoir.
• The State Water Resources Control Board and its Division of Drinking Water.

Context ​

The law is a temporary, Salinas Reservoir-specific exception to the general prohibition on body contact in reservoirs storing domestic water.