California Water Board announces drastic statewide cuts

The State Water Resources Control Board on Wednesday approved a policy that could force some municipal water utilities to reduce their water deliveries by nearly 40 percent over the next 15 years.

If suppliers and their customers fail to reduce their water usage, counties face fines of up to $10,000 per day. Counties can reduce their customers' water usage by imposing restrictions, increasing prices for large users or encouraging the use of low-water usage appliances.

“Our climate has changed. Our use should adapt to the hydrology we now face,” Joaquin Esquivel, president of the state water board, said in a statement.

Utilities must implement a first round of water cuts by 2025, with further cuts required in 2030, 2035 and 2040.

The most extensive cuts are in California's Central Valley, from the city of Redding in the north (39% cut by 2040 and 21% by 2025) to the California Water Service Company in Visalia (22% cut in 25 years). Smaller cities in the Central Valley are also facing cuts: Exeter, a city of 10,000 in Tulare County, faces 39% cuts by 2040. The largest city in the Central Valley, Fresno, faces 21% cuts by 2040 and 4% by 2025.

The parched Coachella Valley in Southern California must also expect drastic cuts. The Desert Water Agency, based in Palm Springs, must reduce its water supply by 32 percent by 2040 and by 24 percent by 2025.

In the high desert, water districts in Victorville, Hesperia and Adelanto must reduce their water use from 18% to 23% by 2040.

However, not all cities in California will face drastic cuts. The California Water Service Company in Salinas will only see a 1% cut by 2040, while the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will see no cuts at all.

Some environmental groups say the mandated water cuts do not go far enough.

“The rule is not tailored to California's increasing water scarcity,” Mark Gold, director of water scarcity solutions and environmental health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “There will be a strong rule in 2040, but that's not for another 15 years, and there will be a lot of water scarcity in that time.”

How California is forcing regions to use less water

In April, California state authorities took action for the first time in history against excessive groundwater extraction in the San Joaquin Valley by placing Kings County water districts on probation for failing to protect the region's underground water supplies. This unprecedented decision was the first step that could lead to millions in fines for excessive groundwater extraction or state takeover of the districts. In neighboring Tulare County, one of the world's largest agricultural counties, the State Water Resources Control Board is threatening similar action if users of the Kaweah Subbasin do not curb their groundwater extraction.

The State Water Resources Control Board has repeatedly warned both districts that their groundwater management plans are deficient because they fail to prevent wells from drying up, water contamination and soil subsidence as a result of excessive pumping.

Recently, the Imperial Irrigation District in Southern California proposed a plan to pay farmers not to grow hay during the hottest months of the year. The plan is just one step to conserve water from the overtaxed Colorado River.

Tips for saving water

Below are some tips from the California Public Utilities Commission for you and your family to save water

Install water-saving appliances such as water-saving showerheads and high-efficiency toilets.
Take a shorter shower, reduce the time by 1-2 minutes and save 20 liters of water.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Save 3 gallons.
Fix leaky taps. Save up to 75 litres per day.
Wash a full load of laundry. Save 50 to 190 liters per load.
Don't clean your driveway with a garden hose. Sweeping with a broom can save up to 380 litres of water.
Water your garden before 8 a.m., as early watering reduces evaporation.
Switch from lawn watering to low-water landscaping. Outdoor irrigation accounts for 50 to 70 percent of total household water use.

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Anna Harden

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