On May 9, 2016, the Governor issued Executive Order B-37-16 directing the State Water Board to extend the emergency regulations for urban water conservation through the end of January 2017 and replace the state-developed standards with locally developed conservation standards based upon each agency’s specific circumstances.

Aside from the statewide requirements for commercial properties pertaining to drinking water and laundered towels and linens, the proposed emergency regulation maintains the current prohibitions on potable urban water use. Continued prohibitions include:

• Irrigating with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians;
• Irrigating with potable water outside of newly-constructed homes and buildings not in accordance with emergency regulations or other requirements established in the California Building Standards Code;
• Using potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways;
• Allowing runoff when irrigating with potable water;
• Using hoses with no shut-off nozzles to wash cars;
• Using potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water; and
• Irrigating outdoors during and within 48 hours following measureable rainfall. Most of the current regulations remain in place.

The State Water Board will consider adoption of the proposed regulations May 18, 2016.