ACWA Submits Whitepaper on “Option 4” for Meeting Conservation Requirements

A new whitepaper completed by ACWA proposes an approach for implementing “Option 4” of the state’s requirement to reduce urban per-capita water use 20% by 2020.

The whitepaper, submitted to the Department of Water Resources this week, lays out a proposed method for setting conservation targets for urban water suppliers under the fourth compliance option identified in SBX7 7 of 2009. The measure, enacted as part of the comprehensive legislative package last November, established new conservation requirements for agencies and identified four options for compliance.

ACWA assembled a workgroup of water agency representatives to develop an approach that fully complies with the statute and offers a flexible yet fair framework for implementing Option 4.

Under SBX7 7, Option 4 requires DWR to develop conservation targets that recognize local variations such as climate and land use density and provide flexibility to communities and regions.