AB 49: Water conservation: an essential first step

Long before the end-of-session water package emerged from the legislative negotiating chambers, the environmental community was pushing for greater statewide water conservation through AB 49 (Feuer and Huffman). The measure requires a 20% per capita reduction in urban water use by 2020 and requires agricultural water suppliers to implement a range of best management practices to reduce water use and use it more efficiently. AB 49 became the template for SB 7 x7, the water conservation portion of the water package enacted in early November.