State Begins Process to Consider Extension of Emergency Water Conservation Regulations
On Nov. 9, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued a public notice that it is soliciting comments and holding a workshop on the potential extension of emergency water conservation regulations imposed on Urban Water Suppliers in May 2015. Written comments are due by December 2, 2015, and the workshop will be held December 7, 2015. While California hopes it will not endure a fifth year of drought, the State is attempting to plan the future of urban water conservation whether it rains this winter or not. Urban Water Suppliers should consider participating in the regulatory process to influence water conservation regulation in 2016.
According to the State Water Board’s notice, the December 7 workshop will focus on the following questions:
- What elements of the existing Emergency Regulation, if any, should be modified in an extended Emergency Regulation?
- What additional data, if any, should the State Water Board be collecting through the Emergency Regulation and how would it be used?
- How should the State Water Board account for precipitation after January 2016 in its implementation of any extension of the Emergency Regulation?
The State Water Board also requests that workshop participants recommending changes to the existing emergency water conservation regulations demonstrate the rationale and need for the proposed changes.
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