California has made history by passing a statewide water conservation plan that will impact hundreds of retail water suppliers serving 95% of the state’s population. The goal of this plan is to significantly enhance water efficiency by the year 2040.
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is an agency composed of five members appointed by the governor. The board approved these new regulations on July 3. Unlike past temporary emergency water usage rules, these new provisions are permanent.
According to a press release from the board, the implementation of a permanent water conservation plan is a strategic move to address an anticipated 10% water shortage by the year 2040.
Under the new regulations, starting in 2027, California urban water suppliers must calculate the allocated water volume based on residents’ indoor and outdoor water usage; while water allocation for commercial, institutional, and industrial properties will be determined based on irrigation meters.
These provisions are designed to safeguard water resources to tackle the increasingly hot and dry climate conditions described by the Water Resources Commission in California.
The new rules will take effect in January 2025, and water suppliers are required to meet compliance standards by 2027. The water allocation for suppliers will also consider factors such as population, landscaping area, and climate.
The so-called “water budgets” may be adjusted for “special purposes,” such as livestock farming or water replenishment for ponds and lakes, meaning that water budgets in certain areas may increase based on their average water needs.
The goal of this water conservation plan is to reduce unnecessary water usage by restricting suppliers’ water supply, with officials believing this will help increase water storage.
The commission anticipates that with the implementation of the new rules, California will save approximately 500,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2040, enough to supply water to 1.4 million households annually.
The Water Resources Control Board pointed out that due to the “dramatic” cycles of wet and dry weather in California, water resources have become fragile, necessitating a more robust water management plan.
Chairman Joaquin Esquivel stated in a declaration, “Today is an exciting historic moment for California as we have officially embraced water conservation as a way of life.”
These new regulations stem from the state assembly bill AB1668 and the state senate bill SB606 passed in 2018. According to the advocacy group California Water Agencies Association (ACWA), these bills set requirements for water suppliers, to be enforced by the California Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board, impacting agricultural water suppliers, rural communities, and drought planning.
The State Water Resources Control Board has not yet commented on the specific implementation details of the new plan.