Contact Information: Contact: Jennifer Persike ACWA Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs 916/441-4545 916/296-3981 (cell)
ACWA Adopts Principles on Conservation, Water Use Efficiency
Board OKs Strong Statement in Support of 20% Statewide Goal by 2020
| Source: Association of California Water Agencies
SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - March 30, 2009) - The Association of California Water Agencies
(ACWA) has formally adopted policy principles supporting the goal of
reducing per capita water use by 20% statewide by 2020 and committing the
association to aggressively support water conservation and water use
efficiency as part of a comprehensive solution to the state's water
challenges.
The principles, adopted today by ACWA's Board of Directors, express strong
support for achieving the 20% aggregate reduction in water use statewide in
a manner that recognizes local conditions. The conservation and water use
efficiency principles give urban and agricultural water agencies
flexibility to implement programs that work for their service areas.
The principles are intended to expand on ACWA's 2005 water policy document,
"No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water," and guide the
association as it considers legislative and regulatory proposals on
conservation.
"With these principles, we are significantly raising the bar on
conservation as an industry," ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn said.
"We are making a strong statement in support of achieving real reductions
in water use statewide. We want to own the goal, but ensure local
flexibility to get there. We are committed to working with the Legislature,
state agencies and other stakeholders to create a policy framework and
sound technical foundation to do that."
The principles state ACWA's support for measuring, reporting and monitoring
water use statewide as a way of providing accountability and transparency
toward meeting conservation goals. They also state ACWA's support for the
use of volumetric pricing wherever appropriate for urban and agricultural
water supplies to encourage conservation and efficiency.
The ACWA Board also adopted a formal policy statement on proposals related
to Delta Vision. The statement expresses support for the physical solutions
laid out by the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force and the cabinet-level
Delta Vision Committee and commits ACWA to work cooperatively to develop an
effective governance approach to the Delta.
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are
responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more
information, visit www.acwa.com.