The Water Conservation Element of the Agreement helps meet the region's water supply needs by minimizing the need for increased groundwater pumping and increased use of surface water, including diversions from the American River. Each water supplier in the region committed to implementing a comprehensive water conservation plan, which is to be fully implemented in 2004, and to preparing annual reports to chronicle their progress.

The Water Conservation Negotiation Team (WCNT) participates in the annual report process by reviewing purveyors; progress toward BMP implementation and directing staff in methods to assist purveyors with implementation if needed. The WCNT consists of members from each caucus. In addition the WCNT provides a forum in which all interests can discuss issues relating to implementation of the water conservation plans.

Each purveyor negotiated a water conservation plan consisting of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and implementation criteria. These BMPs were adapted from the California Urban Water Conservation Council's Statewide Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Urban Water Conservation Best Management Practices (1994). While some purveyors accepted the standard recommended BMP implementation criteria, others chose to negotiate "functionally equivalent" criteria that better met the needs and conditions in their service area. (For the full water conservation plans, see Appendix J of the Water Forum Agreement: Appendix J

In 2004 the Water Forum Successor Effort began the process of updating water conservation plans, as called for in the Water Forum Agreement. The goal of the update process is to help purveyors design water conservation programs that are more suitable to their needs, based on their experiences during the ramp-up period, while continuing to achieve the conservation goals originally established in the Water Forum Agreement.

Water Forum Best Management Practices:

1. Interior and Exterior Water Audits and Incentive Programs for Single Family Residential, Multi-Family Residential and Institutional Customers

2. Plumbing Retrofit of Existing Residential Accounts

3. Distribution System Water Audits, Leak Detection and Repair

4. Non-Residential Meter Retrofit

4. Residential Meter Retrofit

5. Large Landscape Water Audits and Incentives for Commercial, Industrial, Institutional (CII), and Irrigation Accounts

6. Landscape Water Conservation Requirements for New and Existing Commercial, Industrial, Institutional and Multi-Family Developments

7. Public Information

8. School Education

9. Commercial and Industrial(CII) Water Conservation

11. Conservation Pricing for Metered Accounts

12. Landscape Water Conservation for New/Existing Single Family Homes

13. Water Waste Prohibition

14. Water Conservation Coordinator

16. Ultra Low Flow Toilet Replacement Program for Non-Residential Customers

Citizen Involvement Program

 

Water Conservation Annual Reports:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Years 5 & 6

 

 

Many Water Forum Signatories participate in the Regional Water Authority's Water Efficiency Program to assist in meeting water conservation goals.