The Bay Area Air District is weighing flexibility in its rule that will eventually require all new water heaters and furnaces be electric between 2027 and 2031, a move aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide pollution, which can increase smog and decrease air quality.
Bythat will eventually require all new water heaters and furnaces be electric between 2027 and 2031, a move aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide pollution, which can increase smog and decrease air quality.
"This rule is all about clean air, and it's important that the sooner we pass it, the sooner that we're going to see the benefits of that cleaner air as people transition to zero-emissions, non-polluting appliances in their homes," said Tony Sirna,Deputy Policy Director, Buildings. "So, the sooner, the better for our air quality. That said, we need to make sure that there's time for the Air District to implement the rule properly.
" The rule would apply only when a water heater or furnace is replaced proactively or fails and requires replacement after specified compliance dates. It would affect residents in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, along with the southern portion of Sonoma County and southwestern Solano County. The Air District said cutting nitrogen oxide pollution could prevent 37 to 85 premature deaths every year and reduce about 110 new asthma cases annually.
Bay Area Council , said switching to electric systems, plus the electrical upgrades many buildings need, could cost thousands of dollars, hitting lower-income families the hardest.
"We support clean air," Jeffris said. "We support improving our climate resilience, but imposing expensive costs on homeowners and small businesses is just going to make this region a more unaffordable, difficult place to live so we have to balance these costs that we're imposing on people and having mandatory regulations like this is not the direction we want to see this go.
" A heatpump water heater can range from about $3,000 to nearly $39,000, depending on installation needs, according to TECH Clean California. The district said rebates and incentives from utilities, the state, and local programs can offset some of those costs. More info:
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