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New Air-Quality Rule Mandates Electric Water Heaters for Pool Owners in Southern California

“Southern California Takes a Big Step Towards Cleaner Air: Pool and Hot Tub Owners Required to Go Electric”

In a groundbreaking move to combat air pollution, Southern California air regulators have approved a new rule that will require pool and hot tub owners to switch to electric water-heating equipment. The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s governing board voted 9-1 to phase out certain types of natural-gas-fired water heaters in homes and businesses across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and part of San Bernardino counties.

The rule, which is set to be fully implemented by 2058, will lead to the replacement of over 1 million gas-burning appliances, including an estimated 700,000 pool heaters and 300,000 tankless water heaters, with zero-emissions technology. It will also apply to 70,000 commercial water heaters at businesses such as dry cleaners, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals. However, residential water heaters with tanks are exempt from the regulation as they have been regulated separately for decades.

By the time the rule is fully implemented, it is expected to prevent the release of 5.6 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides per day, making it the largest reduction in pollution from stationary sources since the air district’s 2021 rule on oil refineries. Additionally, the regulation will cut planet-warming carbon emissions equivalent to removing 1.2 million cars from the road for a year.

Vanessa Delgado, the chair of the South Coast AQMD’s governing board, emphasized the significant public health benefits of the new rule. The regulation is part of the air district’s efforts to bring the region closer to complying with federal air-quality standards by 2037, achieving nearly 10% of the emission reductions needed to meet that benchmark.

Environmental groups have praised the decision to pass the rule, with Adrian Martinez from Earthjustice calling it a major step forward in the fight to clean the air for over 17 million people in the region. The rule aligns with current building standards that prohibit the installation of most gas-powered appliances in newly constructed buildings, with bans on different types of gas-fired units set to begin in the coming years.

While the transition to zero-emission equipment is estimated to cost between $49 million to $79 million annually, the air district will provide rebates to assist homeowners and businesses with the installation of zero-emission water heaters, focusing on the most heavily polluted communities. Business leaders have expressed concerns about the financial impact of the rule, citing the higher costs of electric water heaters compared to natural gas models.

Despite these challenges, environmental advocates believe that ambitious regulations are necessary to drive the production of zero-emission equipment and lower prices. They are optimistic that the region’s ingenuity will lead to the development of clean technology companies that can meet the zero-emission standards and ultimately win the long-fought war on pollution.

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