Opinion: Strong water conservation standards are essential for low-income communities
California’s State Water Board is wrestling with what terms to set for water conservation regulation for urban areas. This regulation implements state policy designed to Make Conservation a California Way of Life. But the only way to make that vision equitable is to ensure the needs of low-income communities are taken into account. Unfortunately, the Water Board is considering making it too easy to slow-walk investments in conservation, not only in low-income communities, but also in wealthy places like Beverly Hills that use significantly more than their fair share. The proposed regulation currently under consideration means that 72% of Californians will not need to save a single additional drop until 2035.
-Written by Kyle Jones, Policy & Legal Director at the Community Water Center.