News media reports recently provided inaccurate information regarding new water use efficiency laws that set future water use targets. CVWD would like to ensure that our customers understand the facts on these new water efficiency mandates.
On January 1, 2020, two long-term water-use efficiency conservation bills (Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668) became effective. These bills create indoor and outdoor water efficiency objectives for water agencies like the Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD), not individual households.
Contrary to a recent media report, neither bill sets fines on individual water customers taking a shower and doing laundry on the same day.
Key facts:
- The standard of 55 gallons per person per day for indoor residential water use is not intended as an enforceable standard for individuals. It is one of several elements used to calculate the overall efficiency standard for a service area.
- Individuals will not be responsible for State Water Resources Control Board fines. Instead, the State Water Board can fine water agencies (like CVWD) up to $10,000 per day if the agency does not meet its cumulative standard.
- There is no law against showering and doing laundry on the same day. There are no specific statewide laws that require individual households to meet any specific targets. The targets will be set for an entire service area enforcement and will begin in 2024.
CVWD customers are continuously leading the way in conservation efforts. The District hosted a variety of landscape workshops, controller upgrade workshops, and water wise programs such as the annual Water Savvy Landscape Contest and Water Savvy Garden Tour. Through these programs, approximately 525 proactive residents have been given the tools they need to save water and use it wisely. With our customers, we have worked together to install over 650 indoor and outdoor water efficient devices at their homes and remove over 36,000 square feet of turf and replaced with water wise landscaping in the 2018-2019 fiscal year alone.
Because of these efforts, CVWD customers on average are already below the new standard of 55 gallons per person, per day, for indoor water use.
The District continues to be focused on developing local, reliable, and sustainable water supplies to reduce its dependence on imported water which is subject to drought, legislative and regulatory influence. For more information, please call 909-987-2591.
---> Click the link to view Clarification on CA Water Efficiency Laws: /DocumentCenter/View/3850