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8.B. - Page 11 <br /> 6. Many Californians have taken bold steps over the years and in this year to reduce water <br /> use; nevertheless, the dire nature of the current drought requires additional conservation <br /> actions from residents and businesses. Some severely affected communities have <br /> implemented water rationing, limiting water use in some cases to only 50 gallons per <br /> person per day, foregoing showers, laundry, toilet flushing, and all outdoor watering. <br /> 7. Water conservation is the easiest, most efficient and most cost effective way to quickly <br /> reduce water demand and extend supplies into the next year, providing flexibility for all <br /> California communities. Water saved this summer is water available next year, giving <br /> water suppliers the flexibility to manage their systems efficiently. The more water that is <br /> conserved now, the less likely it is that a community will experience such dire <br /> circumstances that water rationing is required ; <br /> 8. Most Californians use more water outdoors than indoors. In many areas, 50 percent <br /> or more of daily water use is for lawns and outdoor landscaping. Outdoor water use <br /> is generally discretionary, and many irrigated landscapes would not suffer greatly from <br /> receiving a decreased amount of water; <br /> 9. Public information and awareness is critical to achieving conservation goals and the <br /> Save Our Water campaign, run jointly by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) <br /> and the Association of California Water Agencies, is an excellent resource for <br /> conservation information and messaging that is integral to effective drought response <br /> (http://saveourwater.com). <br /> 10. Enforcement against water waste is a key too] in conservation programs. When <br /> conservation becomes a social norm in a community, the need for enforcement is <br /> reduced or eliminated; <br /> 11. The emergency regulations set a minimum standard requiring only modest lifestyle <br /> changes across the state. Many communities are already doing more and have been for <br /> years. They should be commended, but can and should do more. Others are not yet <br /> doing so and should at least do this, but should do much more given the severity of the <br /> drought; <br /> 12. On July 8, 2014, the State Water Board issued public notice that the State Water Board <br /> would consider the adoption of the regulation at the Board's regularly-scheduled <br /> July 15, 2014 public meeting, in accordance with applicable State laws and regulations. <br /> The State Water Board also distributed for public review and comment a Finding of <br /> Emergency that complies with State laws and regulations; <br /> 13. On April 25, 2014, the Governor suspended the California Environmental Quality Act's <br /> application to the State Water Board's adoption of emergency regulations pursuant to <br /> Water Code section 1058.5 to prevent the waste, unreasonable use, unreasonable <br /> method of use, or unreasonable method of diversion of water, to promote water recycling <br /> or water conservation; <br /> 14. As discussed above, the State Water Board is adopting the emergency regulation <br /> because of emergency drought conditions, the need for prompt action, and current <br /> limitations in the existing enforcement process; <br /> 2 <br />