Gov. Newsom Announces Water Conservation Executive Order
Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order (EO) to “bolster regional conservation efforts” amid severe drought.
The EO tasks local water suppliers with activating their drought contingency plans. It also orders the State Water Resources Control Board to consider banning the watering of decorative grass near commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings.
Among the issues addressed in the EO are the following provisions outlined in the governor’s press release:
- Ensuring Vulnerable Communities Have Drinking Water
- Cuts red tape so communities that need access to emergency hauled or bottled water can get it immediately
- Safeguarding Groundwater Supplies
- Requires local permitting authorities to coordinate with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to ensure new proposed wells do not compromise existing wells or infrastructure, as 85 percent of public water systems rely heavily on groundwater during drought
- Streamlines permitting for groundwater recharge projects that help to refill aquifers when rains come
- Protecting Vulnerable Fish And Wildlife
- Expedites state agency approvals for necessary actions to protect fish and wildlife where drought conditions threaten their health and survival
- Preventing Illegal Water Diversions
- Directs the Water Board to expand site inspections in order to determine whether illegal diversions are occurring
Further, the EO mandates the State Water Resources Control Board to consider adopting emergency regulations by May to define “non-functional turf” (ornamental turf not used for human recreation purposes such as school fields and parks) and banning irrigation of non-functional turf in the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors, unless required to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non-turf plantings.
In response to the EO, Ag Council President Emily Rooney said, “It should come as no surprise to the state that we are here facing serious drought given the cyclical nature of our climate. This is why in a year of surplus budget dollars, we strongly support more state funding going toward long term resiliency efforts to better plan for the future including: groundwater recharge projects, canal repairs, completion of surface storage projects such as Sites Reservoir to capture water in wet years, irrigation ponds, and other related water infrastructure the state can help fund now.”
To read the full EO, click HERE. The governor’s press release is available by clicking on the Learn More link below.