On June 23, 2016, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted Resolution W-5103, ordering water utilities to comply with the revised version of the Drought Emergency Water Conservation Regulation (Regulation) adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on May 18, 2016 (see May-June On Tap article). All public comments received by the CPUC supported the adoption of the Resolution, including those from California Water Service, California American Water, Great Oaks Water Company and the California Water Association.
The Resolution orders:
- All CPUC-regulated water utilities to comply with the Regulation.
- Class A and B water utilities that do not identify a conservation standard under self-certification, or if the SWRCB rejects the water utility’s conservation standard, to implement the mandatory water conservation actions adopted by Resolution W-5041 and Resolution W-5082, with the modifications in Section 865 of the Regulation.
- All water utilities to enforce and comply with Section 864(a) of the Regulation in promoting water conservation.
- All water utilities continue to take bold enforcement actions on water-use restrictions such as mandatory water audits; customer-funded, remotely read meters; restrictions on water use for top residential, commercial and industrial users, particularly those with excessive water use; flow-restrictor requirements; restrictive outdoor water rules; and limits on total water use.
- Class C and D water utilities to comply with reporting requirements in Section 865(g)2 of the Regulation.
- Class A and B water utilities to file an appropriate advice letter to amend their Tariff Schedule 14.1, if necessary, based on their compliance with the Regulation.
- All water utilities to comply with all monitoring and reporting requirements established by the SWRCB.
