Lori Anne Dolqueist authored the article "Decoupling: A Key Solution To California's Water Supply Risks" (subscription required).
The article opens, "The future social, economic, and cultural success of California depends on a steady supply of safe, reliable, and affordable water. California's water supply is increasingly at risk as it confronts more frequent and extreme droughts and floods, rising temperatures, aging infrastructure, and other challenges made more acute by climate change. The California Department of Water Resources estimates that the state could face a 10% water supply shortfall by 2040 due to hotter and drier weather conditions.
In light of these challenges, the need for conservation has grown even more acute. On July 3, 2024, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted a regulation to make conservation a California way of life. The Board developed the regulation after a multi-year process in which it sought input from water suppliers, public interest groups, and the public. The regulation requires the state's largest water utilities to calculate water budgets based on residential indoor and outdoor water use, irrigation, and water loss. The sum of these budgets will be the individualized conservation water use objectives for each water supplier. Suppliers who violate the framework could be subject to actions or even fines. Although the regulation goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, no water use reductions will be enforced until 2027."
Lori has also covered this topic on Nossaman's California Water Views blog.
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