Following the approval of a much-debated regulation by the state’s Water Resources Control Board, California will implement permanent water restrictions for the first time in its history.
The goal of the program, named Making Conservation a California Way of Life, is to permanently reduce water use throughout the state to lessen the severity of water reductions during droughts. 2018 legislation that former governor Jerry Brown signed served as the impetus for the new policy.
Retail water suppliers will now have to cut their water use by nearly thirty percent over the next fifteen years, rather than just individual homes or businesses. Suppliers will be fined $10,000 every day if they do not comply with the new regulations.
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The San Francisco Chronicle, reports that a formula that takes into account some variables, such as the region’s historical water use, climate, and land use, will be used to determine the reduction rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Certain regions, such as the Bay Area, have historically had minimal water use, thus significant reductions won’t occur there. Water use reductions for Los Angeles County will also differ.
TheCalifornia State Water Resources Control Board, anticipates a 15% decrease in water usage for the California American Water Company-Los Angeles Division by 2040 and a 42% decrease for Los Angeles County Waterworks District 40-Antelope Valley by the same year.
The first phase of reduction will occur by 2027, and the new regulations are anticipated to go into force on January 1, 2025. It should come as no surprise that certain water authorities have criticized the program, with some environmental groups saying that the percentages of water reduction ought to have been higher.
