BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1881
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1881 (Laird)
As Amended August 23, 2006
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(May 30, 2006) |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 28, |
| | | | | |2006) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. GOV.
SUMMARY : Reauthorizes the Department of Water Resources (DWR)
to prepare a new and updated model local water efficient
landscape ordinance for adoption by local governments.
The Senate amendments substantively amended this bill to:
1)Prohibit architectural guidelines for common interest
developments that would prohibit the use of low water-using
plants as a group.
2)Require the California Energy Commission (CEC) to adopt
regulations for performance standards and labeling
requirements for landscape irrigation equipment.
3)Exempt agricultural crops or livestock from requirements for a
separate water meter, and apply such requirement only to water
purveyors serving 15 or more service connections.
4)Give preference to existing water use efficiency programs, in
order to preclude any conflict with the updated model water
efficient landscape ordinance.
EXISTING LAW requires DWR to draft, based on recommendations
from an advisory task force, a model local water efficient
landscape ordinance that local agencies may adopt. A 2004
statute "requested" that the California Urban Water Conservation
Council establish a stakeholder task force to evaluate
proposals, by the end of 2005, for improving the efficiency of
water use in new and existing urban irrigated landscape.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required DWR to update, and
local agencies to adopt, the model local water efficient
AB 1881
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landscape ordinance, including restrictions on overspray and
runoff. Also required separate water meters for landscaping
exceeding 5,000 square feet.
FISCAL EFFECT : The Senate Appropriations Committee estimates
one-time costs of $550,000 for DWR and CEC actions, and more
than $400,000 to reimburse local governments for the cost of
adopting a new ordinance, which would be a State mandate.
COMMENTS : Water for urban landscaping comprises approximately
one-third of urban water use, or three million acre feet of
water annually. Existing law required DWR to develop a model
water efficient landscape ordinance more than a decade ago.
That ordinance is now outdated and fails to reflect contemporary
technological developments. The author suggests that a new
model ordinance is necessary to reflect improvements in
landscape irrigation technology that increase conservation of
landscape water, whose use has increased due to a growing
population.
The California Urban Water Conservation Council created the
stakeholder task force "requested" by AB 2717 (Laird), Chapter
682, Statutes of 2004. The Landscape Task Force made 43
recommendations for improved water conservation, including the
new model ordinance, dedicated landscape water meters, and the
CEC landscape irrigation equipment regulations. The Task Force
estimated that implementation of changes to the model ordinance
will result in an annual savings of 600,000 to 1,000,000 acre
feet of water annually, enough water for three million or more
people.
Analysis Prepared by : Alf W. Brandt/ W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0017502