(FixThisNation.com) – On Wednesday, the California State Water Resources Control Board approved a regulation that would set long-term limits on the annual water usage for the state. The sweeping measure is going to help save around 500,000 acre-feet in water each year by 2040.
The Water Board has noted that the saved quantity is enough for them to cover the needs of another 1.4 million households annually. As part of this regulation, the largest water suppliers in the state are going to calculate individual water budgets using outdoor and indoor consumption, and the industrial, institutional landscape, and commercial consumption. All these usage levels are monitored through dedicated irrigation meters.
The Office of Administrative Law will be required to approve the new rules which are the result of the 2018 California state Legislature passing several bills.
The Water Board chair Joaquin Esquivel noted that water conservation is now a way of life and that this measure will allow them to conserve more water while also ensuring flexibility for suppliers who need to alter their conservation strategies based on local needs.
The “urban water use objectives,” are going to require compliance starting in 2027, and are going to be increased gradually until 2040 according to the board. Water suppliers will have the option to adjust conservation based on local needs while using a variety of tools, including installing newer appliances, leak detection, education, and outreach.
The conservation measures are expected to save $6.2 billion from 2025 to 2050 in utilities. Fines will be implemented for cities that fail to meet these objectives.
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