Here are a few good signs that we may be moving towards a more efficient water future:

AB2175: In May the California State Assembly passed AB2175 – a water conservation bill that aims to reduce California’s per person water use by 20%. The bill is currently in the Senate awaiting a vote.

According to the California League of Conservation Voters, AB2175 would:

1. Require a 20% reduction in statewide urban water use per capita by 2020 and establish specific savings targets for each urban water agency.
2. Reduce the target for those agencies that have already implemented specific water conservation best management practices or that already have low per capita water use.
3. Require the Department of Water Resources to set a target for agricultural water efficiency.
4. Require agricultural water suppliers to identify their cost-effective water conservation potential and adopt 5 and 10 year numeric water savings targets.
5. Make compliance with these requirements a condition for receiving state water management grants or loans.

Green Building Code: In July California became the first state in the nation to approve green building standards to cut energy and water usage. The plan was adopted by the California Building Standards Commission, and requires that all new construction reduce energy usage by 15%, water use by 20%, and water for landscaping by 50%. A voluntary form of the code will kick in on July 1, 2009. A mandatory regulation should be in place by the end of 2010 or early 2011.