California Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order on April 1 directing the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) to issue emergency rules to achieve a 25 percent reduction from 2013 levels in potable urban water use. The Water Board’s proposed framework for the restrictions, published on April 7, sets four tiers for water use reductions for the state’s 411 urban water suppliers – ranging from 10 to 35 percent. Utilities are assigned tiers based on the reported residential per capita water use in September 2014, with greater reduction imposed on water suppliers with higher per-capita usage reported.
The executive order mandates seven other actions to help save water, including:
- A statewide initiative to replace 50 million square feet of lawns with ornamental turf or drought tolerant landscapes;
- A time-limited statewide appliance rebate program for water inefficient household appliances;
- Restrictions that require commercial, industrial and institutional properties to implement water efficiency measures;
- Prohibition of irrigation on ornamental turf on public street medians;
- Prohibition of the use of potable water to irrigate newly constructed homes unless a drip or microspray system is used; and
- Direction for the Water Board to oversee the development by urban water utilities of rate structures and pricing mechanisms to maximize conservation.
The order also identifies several activities aimed at increasing enforcement of these conservation measures, including reporting requirements and the adoption of new emergency regulations by the California Energy Commission to establish new efficiency standards for water appliances and fixtures.
The order also directs large agricultural water suppliers (supplying more than 25,000 acres) to include detailed drought management plans in their required Agricultural Water Management Plans and requires agricultural water suppliers that supply water to 10,000-25,000 acres of irrigated lands to develop Agricultural Water Management Plans. Finally, the order directs the Water Board and the California Energy Commission to deploy innovative water management technologies across the state and streamline governmental response to the drought.
The Water Board expects to have its new regulations in place by June.