Yesterday, Governor Jerry Brown lifted the drought emergency declaration for most of the state and state agencies released a final framework report for establishing long-term water conservation measures to meet the directive to make conservation a California way of life.
Here are the responses from multiple agencies and organizations, listed in alphabetical order:
From the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA):
Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Executive Director Timothy Quinn issued the following statement today regarding action by Gov. Jerry Brown to lift the drought emergency declaration for most of the state and the release of a final framework report by state agencies on long-term water conservation measures.
“We are glad to see the governor’s action today to lift the drought emergency declaration for most of the state. The statewide emergency clearly is over, but it makes sense to continue to assist areas where emergency drinking water projects are still needed in hard-hit areas. We also understand the need for continued water waste prohibitions and reporting requirements as a ‘bridge’ to permanent measures under the long-term conservation framework issued in final form today.
“While the emergency has largely ended, that doesn’t mean we are letting our guard down when it comes to using water efficiently on an ongoing basis. Local water agencies are committed to conservation and long-term water-use efficiency as a way of life, and they have not waited for this moment to take action. They are actively investing in programs, education and incentives to help their customers adopt sustainable practices and make changes that result in permanent water savings.
“We continue to review the final long-term conservation framework, and support the general approach of working with local agencies to establish individual conservation targets as we have advocated. We also continue to support a planning-based process for agricultural conservation that recognizes local groundwater management responsibilities and diverse local drought management needs.
“Many details will emerge in follow-up legislation and regulatory proposals in the coming weeks. We intend to be an active part of the process. While we support these important goals, we object to using the budget trailer bill process to implement the framework. ACWA strongly believes important statutory changes such as these must be considered in the transparent, deliberative process used for policy bills – not in the expedited, less transparent budget trailer bill process.
“We stand ready to assist with implementing an approach that is workable for water agencies and their customers, and look forward to ensuring that conservation and water-use efficiency move forward as essential elements of the California Water Action Plan.
“Californians stepped up in a major way in response to the drought and the emergency conservation regulation. We’ve seen a tremendous shift in the way the public thinks about and uses water, and we are confident that will continue with the ongoing efforts by local water agencies and the statewide Save Our Water program.”
From the California Farm Water Coalition:
“California farmers work every day to make the most out of every drop. While total agricultural water use in California has remained relatively constant over the last 50 years, the amount of food we produce with that water has increased over 43 percent. Any way you look at it, that’s a pretty efficient use of resources, said Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition.
“By planning to prepare for future drought the Administration recognizes that Californians can no longer rely on our broken water system to provide sufficient water to all California water users – urban, farm and environmental. Without fixing our broken system, we face the risk of permanent water shortages during even the wettest of years, and ever-escalating disaster during multi-year droughts.
“Californians have long known that our state must develop water infrastructure in smart ways to foster prosperity, avert crisis, and ensure our long-term success. In 2014 the voters overwhelmingly passed Prop 1, agreeing to spend money on badly-needed water infrastructure. And yet, projects that have been studied for years and are ready to go remain unfunded. Why? Our water management system with more than 15 overlapping federal, state, and local agencies continues to delay. Sites Reservoir and Temperance Flat alone would add enough water to meet the needs of 4.3 million people for a year or grow over 11 billion salads.
“We must act now to prepare for future droughts by building integrated water storage that helps to grow our economy, protect the environment, and ensure prosperity for future generations. But fixing our broken system goes beyond our urgent need to develop these smart storage solutions. California must pursue robust, adaptive, and durable solutions to the other water management issues confronting us. Local, state, and federal agencies must adopt not only a culture of cooperation, but outcome-oriented policies that encourage responsive, efficient, and smart solutions.
“We stand ready to roll up our sleeves and work to fix the broken water management system and keep California from a state of permanent drought,” Wade said.
From the Metropolitan Water District:
Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s announcement today ending the drought state of emergency in much of California:
“As he had throughout the state’s drought emergency, Gov. Brown has once again demonstrated strong leadership in guiding California through unprecedented conditions. The governor, the State Water Resources Control Board and other state resource agencies showed extraordinary resourcefulness in bringing the state together to meet the drought’s challenges.
“Gov. Brown’s mandate that each and every Californian immediately reduce water use sent the right message that we are one state and that we can never take water for granted. Lowering water demand in Southern California was a big reason why this region managed the drought so effectively. This drought, however, was a wakeup call to re-examine all of our water uses and redouble the commitment to efficiently use every possible drop.
“Metropolitan helped set the water-saving example through our historic investment in turf removal and long-term wisdom of investments in resource management. To meet the state’s long-term conservation plan, we will continue exploring and developing water resources that prepare the region for the future water challenges created by inevitable drought and climate change.”
From the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):
State officials today released a comprehensive plan to formalize Governor Brown’s 2016 Executive Order on “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.”
The plan sets a strong path toward achieving the objectives of the order: using water more wisely, eliminating water waste, strengthening local drought resilience, improving agricultural water use efficiency and drought planning. It sets the stage for further Water Board work to ensure that all water is valued and used efficiently, including recycled water, and also prepares California for the realities of living with climate change, including more frequent droughts and floods similar to those we’ve seen recently.
The plan:
- focuses on improving urban water efficiency, particularly for landscaping
- eliminates wasteful practices and strengthens drought preparedness for cities, towns and rural communities
- emphasizes local control and decision-making by allowing each of the state’s 410 water utilities to work within a customized water budget based on population, land use, climate and other local factors that influence indoor and outdoor water use. Local utilities can choose how best to meet their targets, including through leak repair, offering rebates for more efficient showers and clothes washers, or helping customers transition to more climate appropriate landscapes
Following is a statement from Tracy Quinn, senior water policy analyst with Natural Resources Defense Council:
“Recent events at Oroville Dam and elsewhere statewide demonstrate the vulnerability of our water supply infrastructure, which can occur during both wet and dry periods, and reinforces the value of water efficiency regardless of the weather. Some of the easiest and least expensive ways to ensure that we have sustainable water supplies in the future is to increase water efficiency, fix leaks and eliminate wasteful practices like hosing down sidewalks. These are common sense fixes that mean more water for us in the long run.”Following is a statement from Sara Aminzadeh, executive director of California Coastkeeper Alliance:
“The last five years have shown us that we can no longer take water for granted. This plan will help California end the cycle of lurching from one water crisis to the next and ensure our communities and economy can continue to thrive in an uncertain climate reality.”Following is a statement from Cynthia Koehler, executive director of WaterNow Alliance:
“Water use efficiency and innovation have huge potential in California, and the State’s conservation plan supports local water providers in their efforts to scale up these programs and make their communities more resilient and water secure – while keeping costs affordable for ratepayers.Following is a statement from Heather Cooley, water program director at the Pacific Institute:
“Californians have made major water conservation and efficiency improvements over the last several decades and especially during the recent drought. Without these efforts, the state’s water challenges would be much worse. The good news is that there remains additional efficiency opportunities, and the state’s plan to make conservation a California way of life will help ensure that California communities, businesses, and ecosystems have the water they need to thrive.”Following is a statement from Laurel Firestone, co-director of Community Water Center:
“The plan helps ensure affordability of our water supplies, a major issue for low-income communities. In addition, improving drought planning and preparedness, as the plan aims to do, will help protect our most vulnerable communities from the water shortages they have seen during this drought and that will only become more common in the future.”Following is a statement from Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve:
“Climate change is bringing more extreme weather. Our dry years have become drier and our wet years have become more extreme. With water supply at risk, it’s common sense for California to conserve and make the most of every drop.”
From the Regional Water Authority (Sacramento):
John Woodling, Executive Director of the Regional Water Authority, which represents 21 water providers in the Sacramento region, issued the following statement regarding Gov. Brown’s final report “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.”
“While the Regional Water Authority and local water providers strongly agree that using water efficiently should be a California way of life, the Administration’s final report goes too far in giving State regulatory agencies permanent, unchecked control over local water management decisions that, ultimately, will impact our economy and quality of life.
“While the Administration finally acknowledged the overwhelming evidence that California no longer suffers from a drought emergency, now they are proposing to provide the State Water Board with permanent authority to mandate water use reductions and to make those reductions more stringent over time without any legislative oversight.
“The proposal would set enforceable statewide conservation targets that largely ignore unique local conditions, water rights and investments made by water providers and their customers in building reliable water supplies. The result is a one-size-fits-all approach that would ration water even when local supplies are secure.
“RWA and its members favor an approach that focuses on balancing the implementation of all elements of the Governor’s California Water Action Plan—an approach that includes managing and preparing for dry periods, but also calls for expanding water storage capacity, the use of recycled water and stormwater capture, as well as increasing operational and regulatory efficiency.
“We have joined water suppliers from throughout the State to unite around an approach to water use efficiency that empowers local agencies and their customers to respond to their unique conditions. Together, we have outlined a detailed legislative proposal to enhance planning and preparation for future droughts.
“The proposal—embodied in Assembly Bill 1654 and Assembly Bill 968 (as proposed to be amended)—ensures that water use targets fully account for local factors, and entrusts local water suppliers with control over the actions required to meet those targets. Rather than handing control to set and then lower water use targets to unelected bureaucrats, our proposal would ensure the Legislature retains control and oversight over setting and meeting water use targets at the local level. We support the intent of the Administration’s proposal, but urge them to join us in crafting a more effective way forward that supports the economies and quality of life of California’s diverse communities.
“The Sacramento region is and has been committed to supporting long-term water efficiency. In fact, per capita water use in our region has steadily declined during the past decade, and total water use has not increased despite a 25 percent increase in population. Moreover, local water providers remain on target to meet existing state mandates to reduce urban water use by 20 percent by 2020.
“But this is only one piece of the puzzle. The Governor’s California Water Action Plan calls for a comprehensive and balanced approach that includes expanding the state’s ability to capture and store the rain that does come and improving the way the system is operated and regulated. We encourage the Administration to provide equal attention to all of those elements to build a reliable water future for California.”
From the San Diego County Water Authority:
“Record-setting precipitation this winter means that the drought is indeed over, and the Water Authority applauds the governor’s decision today to formally end the drought emergency for most of California. It’s critical for water agencies and regulators to maintain credibility with the public by acknowledging the dramatic improvement in water supplies, which is why the Water Authority’s Board of Directors passed a resolution declaring the end of the drought conditions for the county in January.
“It’s also important to remember that San Diego County ratepayers spent more than $3.5 billion over the past three decades to improve the region’s drought resilience – for instance, with new water storage capacity and new locally controlled, drought-proof water supplies from the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. We not only had enough supplies to meet demands during the height of the drought, but we are in a stronger position today to ensure regional water supply reliability than we were at the start of the drought due to 100,000 acre-feet of conserved water we have stored in San Vicente Reservoir for future dry years, and the addition of up to 56,000 acre-feet per year from the desalination plant. Those reserves and supplies helped the San Diego region pass the state’s stringent water supply ‘stress test,’ showing sufficient water supplies even during three more dry years.
“And, I want to recognize the incredible efforts of San Diego County residents, who beat the state’s emergency water-use reduction mandates during 2015 and 2016, and continue to use less water than they did in 2013 even though drought conditions have ended. This balanced approach – water-use efficiency combined with supply investments – served our region well and should be part of any statewide drought-management efforts in the future.
“Going forward, it’s critical for San Diegans to keep embracing water-use efficiency as a way of life, including by continuing to adopt WaterSmart landscapes that maintain our quality of life while using less water. Water is our most precious natural resource, and we know that dry times will return. It’s incumbent on each of us to use water wisely no matter the weather, and the Water Authority will continue to offer resources that promote water efficiency as a positive and permanent lifestyle.
“Finally, we are reviewing the governor’s long-term water-use framework released today. We have consistently advocated for state policies that include supply development and water-use efficiency, and it’s important the targets and measures in the governor’s framework support this balanced approach.”
From the Water Foundation:
Water experts and business leaders across the state today are praising the release of California’s new plan to create a more resilient and reliable water future, “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.” In January 36 scientists from throughout California wrote a letter to Governor Jerry Brown applauding the governor’s leadership and urging common sense steps to increase the reliability of the state’s water supply. The Water Foundation issued the following statements, from water policy experts, researchers and business leaders lauding the plan as a breakthrough in reducing urban water use by employing efficiency standards based on local climate and conditions in each of California’s 410 water districts:
“Past crises have taught us that when you leave a room, you turn out the lights. That efficiency and conservation mindset is fundamental for the future of how we use water. Today’s plan is a key step in making common-sense conservation a way of life for every Californian.” —Wade Crowfoot, Water Foundation CEO
“This plan advances the principled goal of Governor Brown to unite Californians around the conviction of making water conservation a way of life. California homebuilders are pleased to assist in this effort.” — Dave Cogdill, California Building Industry Association president and CEO
“We know that our rivers, streams and groundwater are stressed, and that Californians want to protect fish and wildlife and nature. Delivering effective water conservation and water use efficiency strategies is an essential foundation to deliver sustainable water management for California. Developing a credible, verifiable methodology to show that we are ‘making conservation a way of life’ is essential to build confidence among all Californians that we are all doing our part to stretch every drop of water.” — Jay Ziegler, The Nature Conservancy director of policy and external affairs
“California needs to capture, conserve, and reuse an additional 1 million acre-feet of water each year for the next decade to sustain our economy and environment. California’s Water Conservation Plan, which recognizes the diverse conditions across the state, is a giant step toward regional sustainability for people and the environment.” —Jim Mayer, California Forward, president and CEO
“Even after a wet winter, thousands of Californians are still suffering from complete household water loss due to the drought. Californians must work together to use water reasonably and efficiently so that everyone in our state has the basic human right to water. Part of achieving that right is implementing water conservation and efficiency measures that minimize costs to make water affordable for low-income households.” —Susana De Anda, Community Water Center co-executive director
“The new efficiency standards allow agencies to choose how to meet a customized budget based on their population and climate, rather than mandating percentage reductions. Implementing this approach throughout the state is an essential step in assuring we can continue to meet the environmental and economic water needs of California.” —Lester Snow, Water Foundation policy advisor
“Millions throughout Los Angeles and California have responded to the call to Save the Drop and conserve water. These new conservation targets will build on the great progress we’ve made and make our State and our City more resilient and efficient in our everyday lives.” —Richard Harasick, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power assistant general manager-water
“Research shows us that in the future, it will be more difficult to meet the water demands of a growing population and a thriving economy. The smart thing to do is plan for the long term and use this precious resource much more efficiently.” —Alex Hall, UCLA professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and director of the IoES Center for Climate Science
“The frequency and severity of droughts in California are likely to increase with climate change. When faced with a drought, Californians progressively reduce urban water use from year-to-year, but that use generally rebounds once the drought ends. It is now time to make water efficiency a permanent way of life. I applaud the governor’s statewide water efficiency standards for making this possible.” —Frank Loge, UC Davis professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the Center for Water Energy Efficiency
“The Climate Registry (TCR) applauds California’s new water conservation plan. Nearly 20% of the electricity used by Californians is tied up in the water cycle. Being more efficient with this precious resource is not only more sustainable, but it will support California’s leadership on climate change. TCR looks forward to building on this plan by continuing to help the state quantify the water and climate connection.” —David Rosenheim, The Climate Registry executive director
“Conservation to maximize local water supplies is the first step toward making our state more resilient. Businesses can cost-effectively contribute to California’s sustainable water future by increasing their own water efficiency, through conservation, and by recycling and reusing water.” —Kirsten James, Ceres director of California policy and partnerships
“This plan recognizes that sound, thoughtful management of our water resources is an issue Californians cannot afford to ignore. Local governments across the state have been leading in this charge—implementing innovative programs to reduce water use, increase community resiliency and ensure ongoing economic prosperity.” —Kate Meis, Local Government Commission executive director
“We believe ‘Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life’ is an important educational tool for our industry and our customers. This legislation will get everyone on the same water efficiency page. We have been perfecting/performing water-efficient landscape maintenance since the 1990’s, and it is both the right thing to do in California, and has been a good business model for our company to follow.” —David DuBois, Mission Landscape president and CEO
“Tremendous opportunities exist to improve urban water conservation and efficiency, saving consumers money on their water bill and allowing suppliers to avoid costly new infrastructure investments. We can meet the needs of California’s growing economy and population through greater efficiency and eliminating waste.”–Gabriel Halimi, founder and chief executive officer of Flo Technologies, a Los Angeles-based family company providing technology solutions that enable the control and conservation of water at home
“The building owners I work with through the Better Buildings Challenge are always looking to maximize the value of their investments. It’s time we bring this same discipline to the management of our water resources across the state, living within our means and making every drop count.” —David Hodgins, Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge executive director and founder of Dry River Brewing
“Increasing efficiency through customized water use targets, reducing leaks and eliminating wasteful practices are among the least expensive and fairest ways to ensure sustainable water supplies into the future. This plan embraces those strategies and will make California a leader in adopting conservation as a way of life.” —Joe Grindstaff, Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) general manager and former director of the California Bay Delta Authority and former deputy secretary for water policy for the California Natural Resources Agency
“Santa Ana has a long history of environmental stewardship. Through our progressive approach to education and outreach, we have exceeded our conservation targets and proven what is possible when a community comes together to reduce urban water use. Today’s new plan will ensure we are all working towards building a more sustainable future for California.” —Nabil Saba, PE, City of Santa Ana water resources manager
“The Inland Empire is typically hot and dry, and with climate change we must prepare longer periods through the year that are even hotter and drier. Conservation targets that account for the variety of climates across California make sense, and they will help cities throughout the state save more water.” —Susan Lien Longville, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District president
“We all know that water is a precious, limited, and scarce resource. Today’s plan will make California more water efficient and help protect our natural resources. As the California drought becomes “the new normal” due to warmer temperatures, depleted reservoirs, and a dwindling snowpack, using water efficiently must be a part of our everyday lives.” —Joone Lopez, Moulton Niguel Water District general manager
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