Last week, the State Water Board released revised draft regulations to Make Conservation a California Way of Life that would delay requirements that water agencies implement meaningful conservation actions. The Water Board released draft regulations in 2023 that set reasonable standards to hold water agencies accountable while incorporating flexibility and providing alternative compliance pathways to prevent unintended impacts for suppliers that have a long way to go. Rather than finding creative solutions to ensure all water agencies are on the path to success, without disproportionately burdening disadvantaged communities, the State Water Board revised regulations to simply lower the bar for everyone by delaying the compliance deadlines for another 5 years.
Water conservation is a critical component of building a resilient water supply portfolio. Sierra Club California has consistently advocated in favor of investments in water supply alternatives, including urban and agricultural water conservation, water recycling, stormwater capture, and groundwater management. Together, investments in these projects can provide water resiliency without building harmful water infrastructure proposals that put greater strain on struggling ecosystems, like the San Francisco Bay Delta estuary and the Colorado River.
The Bay-Delta watershed, which provides water to 2/3 of Californians, has experienced rising water temperatures, decreased flows, proliferation of harmful algal blooms, and overall ecosystem and species decline due to decades of unsustainable diversions. Proposals to build new water infrastructure, including the Delta Tunnel and Sites Reservoir, threaten to put further pressure on this system. California must reduce reliance on exported water to restore imperiled species populations, protect quality, and help California be prepared to respond to the impacts of climate change. Unlike large infrastructure projects, conservation and efficiency improvements can be implemented quickly and produce immediate benefits. Water Agencies that invest in conservation and efficiency programs can make the most of their existing water supplies, prevent or reduce the need to invest in large, expensive, and environmentally destructive water infrastructure projects, and reduce reliance on imported water to be better prepared for more arid future conditions. California was on the right path, but the Water Board caved to pressure from water agencies and chose profits over the planet.
California does not have another 5 years to wait for conservation. If the Water Board delays implementation timelines, they risk Water Agencies not maintaining ongoing water conservation programs, losing momentum to get California to a more resilient future, and being unprepared for the next drought. Many water agencies are already on track to meet the original 2030 conservation standards. We need the Board to take a strong stance and keep California on the path to conservation.
Send an email to the Water Board TODAY!
For More Information and Additional Resources:
The State Water Board Notice is Available Here
Talking Points are Available Here
Fact Sheet on Water Conservation
If you have any questions, please contact:
Erin Woolley
erin.woolley@sierraclub.org