Urban water use targets: indoor residential water use.
The bill reaffirms the mandate that urban retail water suppliers must create urban water use targets, ensuring that their collective efforts contribute to a minimum 20% reduction from baseline daily water use by the defined deadline. By enforcing these standards, the bill aims to enhance water conservation efforts across California, particularly in the urban sectors where demand is typically high. The amendment seeks to simplify compliance by refining the existing regulatory framework without altering the substantive expectations set forth in previous legislation.
Assembly Bill 2894, introduced by Assembly Member Gallagher, seeks to amend Section 10608.20 of the California Water Code regarding urban water use targets and specifically focuses on indoor residential water use. The current law mandates that the state achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by requiring urban retail water suppliers to develop appropriate targets. AB 2894 makes a nonsubstantive change to the existing provision that necessitates the Department of Water Resources to create technical methodologies and criteria for establishing these targets.
While AB 2894 is positioned as a technical adjustment that streamlines the process for developing water use targets, there may be concerns regarding its implications for local water management strategies. Critics could argue that even nonsubstantive amendments might limit regional flexibility in adapting conservation methods to meet local needs. The majority support stems from a consensus on the necessity of robust water conservation frameworks in light of California's ongoing environmental challenges, including droughts and water scarcity.