The Law of the Land:
California’s Statutory Framework
for Water Conservation
Evon Parvaneh Chambers
Water Policy & Planning Analyst
Planning and Conservation
League
Developing the West
The story, set in Los Angeles
in 1937,was inspired by the
historical disputes over land
and water rights that had
raged in southern California
during the 1910s and 20s,
in which William Mulholland
acted on behalf of Los
Angeles interests to secure
water rights in the Owens
Valley. A century later
similar issues still persist in
California.
The Sacramento San Joaquin Delta
• Endangered Species Act
• 2009 Water Package
• Delta Flow Criteria
Colorado River Aqueduct Drought
Climate Change




DWR, Climate Change Report
Decline of snowpack
Increased variability
of rainfall
Sea level rise
Increased frequency
of droughts, floods,
and large scale fires
Legislative Response: Our existing
policies




Show Me the Water Bills
 SB 221 & SB 610 (2001)
Water Meters
 AB 2572 (2004) & AB
1975 (2010)
20X2020
 SBX7 7 (2009)
Water Demand
Management Grants &
Loans
 AB 1420 (2007)
Show Me the Water


Legislation requires
approval of large new
developments (500 units
or more) be linked to
assurances that there is
an adequate water
supply.
Prior to the legislation,
large projects could be
approved without a
demonstrated water
supply.
Water meters


AB 2572 requires all
water suppliers to install
water meters on all
customer connections by
January 1, 2025
AB 1975 requires all new
multi-unit housing have
water meters
20 X 2020: Water Conservation
Plan
Senate Bill X7 7 requires all water suppliers
to increase water use efficiency by:


Setting the state goal of
reducing per capita urban
water use by 20% by
December 31, 2020.
Setting the intermediate
state goal to reduce per
capita water use by at
least 10% by December
31, 2015
Water Demand Management Grants
and Loans
AB 1420 requires water
management grants or
loans be conditioned on
implementation of the 14
Best Management
Practices (BMPs) listed
and described in the
California Urban Water
Conservation Council
(CUWCC) Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)
Current Framework




Prove you have the water
Meters to track water use
State program to reduce
per capita use
Incentives from the state
to fund water demand
reduction programs
What’s next in the
regulatory pipeline?
Developing with no “new” water
What do you do when you live in a water strapped area
that wants to develop?
During the last 2 legislative sessions 3 bills were introduced
trying to tackle this issue.
Each bill tried to used the water supply verification as an
incentive to developers to reduce on-site water demand
and invest in a local water mitigation fund
None of the bills passed. We found a one size fits all
approach would not work.
Water Neutral Development



Lesson learned: A
statewide policy was not
the right approach.
Regional/ local approach
works better than an
overarching state policy.
Working with local groups
to design a local option to
accommodate growth
while creating sustainable
local jobs
Housing Crash & Drought
Dept. of Water Resources,
Recent California Drought
Total Housing Starts Rise for Fourth
Straight Month in August, CBIA
Announces
However, single-family sector continues
to struggle
Can Water Neutral
Developments assist in
revitalization of the
single family housing
sector?
Questions for Discussion


What can LAFCO commissioners do in
respect to Water Conservation?
Can LAFCOs condition the approval of an
annexation on the development being
water neutral or water smart?
For more information please contact:
Evon Parvaneh Chambers
Water Policy & Planning
Analyst
Planning and Conservation
League
E-mail - echambers@pcl.org
Phone – (916) 313-4518