Office of Administrative Law Approves Making Conservation a California Way of Life Regulation

The Office of Administrative Law on Oct. 22 approved the Making Conservation a California Way of Life Regulation that was adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board on July 3. The regulation is intended to achieve long-term water use efficiency with the purpose of adapting to climate change by establishing unique goals for each urban retail water supplier in California.

As approved, urban retail water suppliers are required to submit their Urban Water Use Objective Reporting Form to the State Water Board each January, starting Jan. 1, 2025. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, each urban retail water supplier must demonstrate compliance with its water use objective.

The State Water Board has now released the reporting form and accompanying guidance documents in a reporting package available online. More information on the regulation is available in a fact sheet.

ACWA worked extensively with its members and coalition partners over the last year to secure extensive amendments that have resulted in a more feasible and cost-effective regulation. Under the regulation, suppliers must work with their customers to achieve water savings. Individual customers are not required to comply with the urban water use objective.