Bay Area Air Regulators Delay Gas Water Heater Phaseout, Expand Exemptions
Bay Area air quality regulators have voted 16-1 to delay the phaseout of gas water heaters by one year, pushing the mandate to January 2028. The amended rule also introduces significant exemptions, potentially allowing up to half of property owners replacing a gas water heater to avoid switching to electric heat pumps. The original rule, adopted in 2023, does not require replacement of working water heaters but mandated zero-emission models for new installations. Exemptions now include low-income owners, those with high housing costs, homes with physical barriers like cramped spaces or outdated electrical systems, and those needing water heaters 30 gallons or smaller, for which no zero-emission models are currently available in the U.S. This decision signals a broader trend in California of easing back on aggressive pollution reduction targets for home appliances.
