Smarter ways to use water

California has enough water — even as our population grows and global warming intensifies drought — if we use it wisely and efficiently. The problem is waste.

Outdated water laws, written 150 years ago when demand for water was a fraction of what it is today, provide a perverse incentive to "use it or lose it." This preverse incentive rewards waste and penalizes conservation.

The solution is simple: Provide incentives and implement practices that encourage efficiency.

The goal: Reduce water use significantly by 2020

The historic water reform package passed by the California Legislature in 2009 makes conservation a cornerstone of water policy. New provisions require urban users to reduce consumption by 20% by 2020, a goal Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for in 2008, and sets new rules for conservation on farms.

Both urban areas and the agriculture industry have a range of options to reduce water use.

Good sources of information

Saving water on farms. The Pacific Institute, a frequent collaborator of EDF, is an excellent resource for its groundbreaking work on best agricultural practices for using water more efficiently [PDF].

Among the best practices advocated by the Pacific Institute are the following:

• Irrigate at the right time of day.


• Install drip irrigation.


• Deploy new irrigation technologies.


• Use water-wise farming practices.

Saving water in our cities. The Association of California Water Agencies has taken the lead in urban water conservation throughout the state. 

The California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC), the state's largest group dedicated to reducing water use in cities, has information for planning urban conservation programs. The council's "Best Management Practices" for reducing water use in our cities, include:

• Appliance efficiency rebates


• Drought-resistant landscaping


• Behavioral changes, such as taking shorter showers and recycling water