California updates its water landscape ordinance

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released an updated Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance to assist local governments in reducing water waste in landscapes. A Landscape Task Force recommended changes to the original ordinance adopted in 1992. The result is the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 1881, Laird), which requires cities and counties, including charter cities, to adopt landscape water conservation ordinances by January 1, 2010.
“On average, statewide, landscape irrigation accounts for half of all urban water use,” said Gwen Huff, DWR Associate Land and Water Use Scientist. “Implementing a water efficient landscape ordinance will assist local agencies in meeting their goals of stretching water supplies, reducing runoff, and reducing the amount of green waste generated by landscape projects.”
The ordinance addresses water budgets for landscapes, the prevention of excessive erosion and irrigation runoff, landscape and irrigation design requirements, the use of recycled water where available, irrigation audits, and the scheduling of irrigation based on the local climate.