SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Washington Insider Magazine) – As the state’s drought continues, grass on college campuses, in office parks, and in certain California communities may turn brown this summer. State water regulators banned watering select green places on Tuesday.
The State Water Resources Control Board’s decision follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s call for Californians to consume less water or face extensive, mandatory water restrictions. Local water districts will also be required to adopt tighter conservation measures, however they will be tailored to match the needs of each town. Many of the laws set additional restrictions on how frequently residents can water their lawns.
California is experiencing its third year of severe drought, which is part of a 2-decade megadrought that researchers estimate is the harshest in 1,200 years. Warmer temperatures are increasing the state’s water shortages, as people are watering their lawns sooner than usual. According to ABC NEWS, California saw its driest winter in at least 100 years from January to March.
Watering lawn outside industrial sites, enterprises, and institutions such as hospitals, colleges, and federal facilities, and also spaces administered by homeowners’ associations, will be prohibited beginning June 10.
Anything used for decor rather than regular events or activities is considered non-waterable grass. The prohibition does not apply to lawns, sports grounds, parks, or tree irrigation. It would extend to grass maintained by homeowner’s associations, but not to grass maintained by individual households. Violators face a daily fine of $500.
The board also decided that approximately 400 municipal water systems that feed California towns and cities must increase conservation efforts. Following local strategies made following the last drought, each district observes conservation regulations. Many of them also try to increase public awareness about the importance of conservation by limiting how often individuals can water their lawns.
Officials from a number of water agencies requested the board to grant them greater discretion depending on their domestic supply situations rather than imposing more limitations on them all. Many local districts have already obtained significant water conservation and increased supply through investments in recycling, water storage, and other measures, according to Stacy Taylor, water policy manager at Mesa Water District in Orange County.
According to Rosemary Menard, the district’s water director, the board granted a special exemption for a limited number of water districts, notably Santa Cruz, a coastal city of approximately 65,000 inhabitants with modest water demand of around 45 gallons per person per day. A 10-minute shower takes approximately 20 gallons of water.
Santa Cruz is not is not as hot or dry as many other regions of inland California, yet it receives no water from the state. Water rationing is the next phase in the district’s municipal plan, which Menard claims is unnecessary.
Districts that do not rely on federal, state, or Colorado River sources, have a low average per capita water usage, and do not rely primarily on reduced groundwater resources will be subject to a new set of criteria under the carveout. According to Max Gomberg, water conservation and climate change manager, just approximately ten districts are projected to achieve the requirements.
Rather than progressing to the next stage of their municipal plans, they will be obliged to limit consumable outdoor watering to 2 days per week and just during specific hours. They must start conservation public awareness initiatives.
