10608. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Water is a public resource that the California Constitution
protects against waste and unreasonable use.
(b) Growing population, climate change, and the need to protect
and grow California's economy while protecting and restoring our fish
and wildlife habitats make it essential that the state manage its
water resources as efficiently as possible.
(c) Diverse regional water supply portfolios will increase water
supply reliability and reduce dependence on the Delta.
(d) Reduced water use through conservation provides significant
energy and environmental benefits, and can help protect water
quality, improve streamflows, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(e) The success of state and local water conservation programs to
increase efficiency of water use is best determined on the basis of
measurable outcomes related to water use or efficiency.
(f) Improvements in technology and management practices offer the
potential for increasing water efficiency in California over time,
providing an essential water management tool to meet the need for
water for urban, agricultural, and environmental uses.
(g) The Governor has called for a 20 percent per capita reduction
in urban water use statewide by 2020.
(h) The factors used to formulate water use efficiency targets can
vary significantly from location to location based on factors
including weather, patterns of urban and suburban development, and
past efforts to enhance water use efficiency.
(i) Per capita water use is a valid measure of a water provider's
efforts to reduce urban water use within its service area. However,
per capita water use is less useful for measuring relative water use
efficiency between different water providers. Differences in weather,
historical patterns of urban and suburban development, and density
of housing in a particular location need to be considered when
assessing per capita water use as a measure of efficiency.
10608.4. It is the intent of the Legislature, by the enactment of
this part, to do all of the following:
(a) Require all water suppliers to increase the efficiency of use
of this essential resource.
(b) Establish a framework to meet the state targets for urban
water conservation identified in this part and called for by the
Governor.
(c) Measure increased efficiency of urban water use on a per
capita basis.
(d) Establish a method or methods for urban retail water suppliers
to determine targets for achieving increased water use efficiency by
the year 2020, in accordance with the Governor's goal of a
20-percent reduction.
(e) Establish consistent water use efficiency planning and
implementation standards for urban water suppliers and agricultural
water suppliers.
(f) Promote urban water conservation standards that are consistent
with the California Urban Water Conservation Council's adopted best
management practices and the requirements for demand management in
Section 10631.
(g) Establish standards that recognize and provide credit to water
suppliers that made substantial capital investments in urban water
conservation since the drought of the early 1990s.
(h) Recognize and account for the investment of urban retail water
suppliers in providing recycled water for beneficial uses.
(i) Require implementation of specified efficient water management
practices for agricultural water suppliers.
(j) Support the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors.
(k) Advance regional water resources management.
10608.8. (a) (1) Water use efficiency measures adopted and
implemented pursuant to this part or Part 2.8 (commencing with
Section 10800) are water conservation measures subject to the
protections provided under Section 1011.
(2) Because an urban agency is not required to meet its urban
water use target until 2020 pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
10608.24, an urban retail water supplier's failure to meet those
targets shall not establish a violation of law for purposes of any
state administrative or judicial proceeding prior to January 1, 2021.
Nothing in this paragraph limits the use of data reported to the
department or the board in litigation or an administrative
proceeding. This paragraph shall become inoperative on January 1,
2021.
(3) To the extent feasible, the department and the board shall
provide for the use of water conservation reports required under this
part to meet the requirements of Section 1011 for water conservation
reporting.
(b) This part does not limit or otherwise affect the application
of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 11370), Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400),
and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) This part does not require a reduction in the total water used
in the agricultural or urban sectors, because other factors,
including, but not limited to, changes in agricultural economics or
population growth may have greater effects on water use. This part
does not limit the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, or industrial sectors.
(d) The requirements of this part do not apply to an agricultural
water supplier that is a party to the Quantification Settlement
Agreement, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1 of Chapter 617
of the Statutes of 2002, during the period within which the
Quantification Settlement Agreement remains in effect. After the
expiration of the Quantification Settlement Agreement, to the extent
conservation water projects implemented as part of the Quantification
Settlement Agreement remain in effect, the conserved water created
as part of those projects shall be credited against the obligations
of the agricultural water supplier pursuant to this part.
10608. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Water is a public resource that the California Constitution
protects against waste and unreasonable use.
(b) Growing population, climate change, and the need to protect
and grow California's economy while protecting and restoring our fish
and wildlife habitats make it essential that the state manage its
water resources as efficiently as possible.
(c) Diverse regional water supply portfolios will increase water
supply reliability and reduce dependence on the Delta.
(d) Reduced water use through conservation provides significant
energy and environmental benefits, and can help protect water
quality, improve streamflows, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(e) The success of state and local water conservation programs to
increase efficiency of water use is best determined on the basis of
measurable outcomes related to water use or efficiency.
(f) Improvements in technology and management practices offer the
potential for increasing water efficiency in California over time,
providing an essential water management tool to meet the need for
water for urban, agricultural, and environmental uses.
(g) The Governor has called for a 20 percent per capita reduction
in urban water use statewide by 2020.
(h) The factors used to formulate water use efficiency targets can
vary significantly from location to location based on factors
including weather, patterns of urban and suburban development, and
past efforts to enhance water use efficiency.
(i) Per capita water use is a valid measure of a water provider's
efforts to reduce urban water use within its service area. However,
per capita water use is less useful for measuring relative water use
efficiency between different water providers. Differences in weather,
historical patterns of urban and suburban development, and density
of housing in a particular location need to be considered when
assessing per capita water use as a measure of efficiency.
10608.4. It is the intent of the Legislature, by the enactment of
this part, to do all of the following:
(a) Require all water suppliers to increase the efficiency of use
of this essential resource.
(b) Establish a framework to meet the state targets for urban
water conservation identified in this part and called for by the
Governor.
(c) Measure increased efficiency of urban water use on a per
capita basis.
(d) Establish a method or methods for urban retail water suppliers
to determine targets for achieving increased water use efficiency by
the year 2020, in accordance with the Governor's goal of a
20-percent reduction.
(e) Establish consistent water use efficiency planning and
implementation standards for urban water suppliers and agricultural
water suppliers.
(f) Promote urban water conservation standards that are consistent
with the California Urban Water Conservation Council's adopted best
management practices and the requirements for demand management in
Section 10631.
(g) Establish standards that recognize and provide credit to water
suppliers that made substantial capital investments in urban water
conservation since the drought of the early 1990s.
(h) Recognize and account for the investment of urban retail water
suppliers in providing recycled water for beneficial uses.
(i) Require implementation of specified efficient water management
practices for agricultural water suppliers.
(j) Support the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors.
(k) Advance regional water resources management.
10608.8. (a) (1) Water use efficiency measures adopted and
implemented pursuant to this part or Part 2.8 (commencing with
Section 10800) are water conservation measures subject to the
protections provided under Section 1011.
(2) Because an urban agency is not required to meet its urban
water use target until 2020 pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
10608.24, an urban retail water supplier's failure to meet those
targets shall not establish a violation of law for purposes of any
state administrative or judicial proceeding prior to January 1, 2021.
Nothing in this paragraph limits the use of data reported to the
department or the board in litigation or an administrative
proceeding. This paragraph shall become inoperative on January 1,
2021.
(3) To the extent feasible, the department and the board shall
provide for the use of water conservation reports required under this
part to meet the requirements of Section 1011 for water conservation
reporting.
(b) This part does not limit or otherwise affect the application
of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 11370), Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400),
and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) This part does not require a reduction in the total water used
in the agricultural or urban sectors, because other factors,
including, but not limited to, changes in agricultural economics or
population growth may have greater effects on water use. This part
does not limit the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, or industrial sectors.
(d) The requirements of this part do not apply to an agricultural
water supplier that is a party to the Quantification Settlement
Agreement, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1 of Chapter 617
of the Statutes of 2002, during the period within which the
Quantification Settlement Agreement remains in effect. After the
expiration of the Quantification Settlement Agreement, to the extent
conservation water projects implemented as part of the Quantification
Settlement Agreement remain in effect, the conserved water created
as part of those projects shall be credited against the obligations
of the agricultural water supplier pursuant to this part.
10608. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Water is a public resource that the California Constitution
protects against waste and unreasonable use.
(b) Growing population, climate change, and the need to protect
and grow California's economy while protecting and restoring our fish
and wildlife habitats make it essential that the state manage its
water resources as efficiently as possible.
(c) Diverse regional water supply portfolios will increase water
supply reliability and reduce dependence on the Delta.
(d) Reduced water use through conservation provides significant
energy and environmental benefits, and can help protect water
quality, improve streamflows, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(e) The success of state and local water conservation programs to
increase efficiency of water use is best determined on the basis of
measurable outcomes related to water use or efficiency.
(f) Improvements in technology and management practices offer the
potential for increasing water efficiency in California over time,
providing an essential water management tool to meet the need for
water for urban, agricultural, and environmental uses.
(g) The Governor has called for a 20 percent per capita reduction
in urban water use statewide by 2020.
(h) The factors used to formulate water use efficiency targets can
vary significantly from location to location based on factors
including weather, patterns of urban and suburban development, and
past efforts to enhance water use efficiency.
(i) Per capita water use is a valid measure of a water provider's
efforts to reduce urban water use within its service area. However,
per capita water use is less useful for measuring relative water use
efficiency between different water providers. Differences in weather,
historical patterns of urban and suburban development, and density
of housing in a particular location need to be considered when
assessing per capita water use as a measure of efficiency.
10608.4. It is the intent of the Legislature, by the enactment of
this part, to do all of the following:
(a) Require all water suppliers to increase the efficiency of use
of this essential resource.
(b) Establish a framework to meet the state targets for urban
water conservation identified in this part and called for by the
Governor.
(c) Measure increased efficiency of urban water use on a per
capita basis.
(d) Establish a method or methods for urban retail water suppliers
to determine targets for achieving increased water use efficiency by
the year 2020, in accordance with the Governor's goal of a
20-percent reduction.
(e) Establish consistent water use efficiency planning and
implementation standards for urban water suppliers and agricultural
water suppliers.
(f) Promote urban water conservation standards that are consistent
with the California Urban Water Conservation Council's adopted best
management practices and the requirements for demand management in
Section 10631.
(g) Establish standards that recognize and provide credit to water
suppliers that made substantial capital investments in urban water
conservation since the drought of the early 1990s.
(h) Recognize and account for the investment of urban retail water
suppliers in providing recycled water for beneficial uses.
(i) Require implementation of specified efficient water management
practices for agricultural water suppliers.
(j) Support the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors.
(k) Advance regional water resources management.
10608.8. (a) (1) Water use efficiency measures adopted and
implemented pursuant to this part or Part 2.8 (commencing with
Section 10800) are water conservation measures subject to the
protections provided under Section 1011.
(2) Because an urban agency is not required to meet its urban
water use target until 2020 pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
10608.24, an urban retail water supplier's failure to meet those
targets shall not establish a violation of law for purposes of any
state administrative or judicial proceeding prior to January 1, 2021.
Nothing in this paragraph limits the use of data reported to the
department or the board in litigation or an administrative
proceeding. This paragraph shall become inoperative on January 1,
2021.
(3) To the extent feasible, the department and the board shall
provide for the use of water conservation reports required under this
part to meet the requirements of Section 1011 for water conservation
reporting.
(b) This part does not limit or otherwise affect the application
of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 11370), Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400),
and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) This part does not require a reduction in the total water used
in the agricultural or urban sectors, because other factors,
including, but not limited to, changes in agricultural economics or
population growth may have greater effects on water use. This part
does not limit the economic productivity of California's
agricultural, commercial, or industrial sectors.
(d) The requirements of this part do not apply to an agricultural
water supplier that is a party to the Quantification Settlement
Agreement, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1 of Chapter 617
of the Statutes of 2002, during the period within which the
Quantification Settlement Agreement remains in effect. After the
expiration of the Quantification Settlement Agreement, to the extent
conservation water projects implemented as part of the Quantification
Settlement Agreement remain in effect, the conserved water created
as part of those projects shall be credited against the obligations
of the agricultural water supplier pursuant to this part.
