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On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) will vote on whether to reduce air pollution by restricting sales of new gas-fueled water heaters. This end-of-year proposal is a much-weakened version of the complete ban that was passed in 2023 and set to take effect in two months. Staff now estimates that up to 50% of all installations could be exempted. I expect the 24 members of the Board of Directors to vote in favor of this flexible proposal because if they do not, the full ban will go into effect.
The ruling has evolved because of intensive studies and feedback over the past three years. BAAQMD has analyzed technical considerations and cost challenges. Bay Area residents have weighed in with affordability concerns (gas water heaters are typically thousands of dollars cheaper to install) and feasibility concerns (some homes are not a good fit). At the same time, many residents have voiced strong support for cleaner air and reduced reliance on gas, including physicians, environmentalists, and parents of asthmatic kids. The proposal that BAAQMD will consider on Wednesday reflects this feedback with a commitment to move the Bay Area away from gas water heaters while accounting for the affordability concerns and technical challenges that have come to light. […]
