Too soon to switch

In late May, California’s State Water Resources Control Board adopted a statewide water conservation approach that replaces Gov. Jerry Brown’s mandatory water usage cuts with a localized “stress test” approach. The new plan mandates urban water suppliers act now to ensure at least a three-year supply of water is available to their customers under drought conditions.

In April 2015, Brown enacted water restrictions for the first time in the state’s history. Last year I said his actions were three years too late because the state was in its fourth year of drought. He called for reducing water usage by 25 percent across the state. But now, the state has turned over water conservation plans to local agencies until January 2017.

According to the State Water Board, water agencies that would face shortages under three additional dry years will be required to meet a conservation standard equal to the amount of shortage. For example, if a water agency projects it would have a 10 percent supply shortfall, its mandatory conservation standard would be 10 percent.

“Drought conditions are far from over, but have improved enough that we can step back from our unprecedented top-down target setting,” says State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus in a released statement. “We’ve moved to a ‘show us the water’ approach that allows local agencies to demonstrate that they are prepared for three more lousy water years. This reporting will show us what agencies plan to do, and how they do, throughout the year. Trust, but verify. In the meantime, we’ll be watching and prepared to come back with the 25 percent state mandate early next year if necessary, which we hope it won’t be.”

I don’t live in California and haven’t dealt with those local agencies, but I have to say I’m a little nervous about this plan. Based on experience in my home state of Texas, leaving it up to the locals sometimes spells disaster. In drought years past, once the lakes started filling up again, many local water authorities in Texas lifted water restrictions, which often backfired. Sadly, too many users (nationwide – those who are experiencing drought and those who have abundant water availability) aren’t concerned with conservation. But I’m happy to report that this year, a few of the local water authorities near my hometown have retained Stage 1 water restrictions, despite two years of heavy rains and no drought conditions in nearly the entire state. They learned from past mistakes.

But more than 70 percent of California is currently in some level of drought (severe, extreme or exceptional), according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. Is this really the time to change the water use restrictions? I think it sends the wrong message. Why not stick with the original plan until more of the state is out of a drought situation?

Just like Brown’s restrictions that were adopted last year, these new regulations do not affect agriculture and horticulture directly. However, it’s still our duty to lead by example and decrease water use and eliminate water waste.