Govern's Executive Order

Question 1

What are the new requirements to reduce waste?

Answer 1

Going into a 5-yr Drought, the Govern issued an executive order that builds on temporary statewide emergency water restrictions to establish longer-term water conservation measures, including permanent monthly water use reporting, new permanent water use standards in California communities and bans on clearly wasteful practices such as hosing off sidewalks, driveways and other hardscapes.

Question 2

Who is developing new regulations for 2017?

Answer 2

Directs the State Water Resources Control Board to develop proposed emergency water restrictions for 2017 if the drought persists.

Question 3

DWR & Water Board are developing new water use targets, what are they?

Above the current 20% requirement to reduce water waste, 2009.

Answer 3

Strengthening standards for

1. indoor residential per capita water use
2. Outdoor irrigation; incorporates landscape area, local climate, & new satellite imagery data
3. Commercial, industrial, & institutional water use
4. Water lost through leaks

Question 4

Govern has directed the urban water agencies to report monthly, what are they reporting?

Answer 4

The monthly reports will include the water use, amount of conservation achieved, and any enforcement efforts.

Question 5

What are the 4 topics DWR & Water Board need to address?

Answer 5

1. Use water more wisely
2. Eliminate water waste
3. strengthen local drought resilience
4. Improve agricultural water use efficiency & drought planning.

Question 6

What is the approach to further increase “use water more wisely”?

Answer 6

Govern has directed SWRCB to work with DWR to develop new emergency water use targets for 2017, if the drought continues.

Question 7

What is the approach to further eliminate water waste?

Answer 7

• The state board will permanently prohibit practices that waste potable water; such as,
  1. Hosing off sidewalks, driveways, & other hardscape
  2. Washing cars w/out a shut-off valve at the end of the hose
  3. Using non-recirculating water in a fountain/ other decorative water features
  4. runoff from watering lawns/ watering lawns 48 hours after a heavy storm.
  5. Irrigating ornamental turf on public street medians
• Water Board & DWR will minimize large water system leaks.
  
  • will provide funds to local projects that reduce leaks & other water system leaks from the Drinking Water State Revolving fund if available after addressing health & safety.
  • will direct the urban and agricultural water suppliers to accelerate their data collection, improve water system management, & prioritize capital projects to reduce water waste.

Question 8

How will CA Public Utilities Commission help in these efforts to minimize/eliminate water waste?

Answer 8

CAPUC shall order investor-owned water utilities to accelerate work to minimized leaks.

Question 9

How will CA Energy Commission help in these efforts to minimize/eliminate water waste?

Answer 9

They will certify innovative water conservation and water loss detection and control technologies that also increase energy efficiency.
Such as energy efficient applies that use less water, and water-sense irrigation controllers.

Question 10

What is the approach to further strengthen local drought resilience?

Answer 10

DWR will strengthen requirements for urban Water Shortage Contingency Plans that the local water agencies are required to maintain.
An Updated draft requirements shall include adequate action to respond to droughts lasting at least 5-yrs is due by January 10th, 2017
DWR will work with small water suppliers and rural communities to improve drought planning that are outside of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.

Question 11

What approach will be used to Improve agricultural water use efficiency & drought planning?

Answer 11

DWR will work with CA Dept of Food and Agriculture to update existing requirements of Agricultural Water Management Plans (AWMP) to ensure these plans identify & quantify measures to increase water efficiency in their service area & adequately plan for periods of limited water supply.
Draft of update requirements due January 10, 2017
Water suppliers with over 10K irrigated acres of land are required to permanently complete the AWMP.

Question 12

What is DWR, Water Board, & CA Public Utility Commission role?

Answer 12

They are charged to develop methods to ensure compliance with provisions of the Executive Order, which include:

• technical & financial assistants,
• agency oversight
• if necessary, enforcement action by the water board for non-compliance