Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations concerning water use, including that the use of potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf is wasteful and incompatible with state policy relating to climate change, water conservation, and reduced reliance on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem. The bill would direct all appropriate state agencies to encourage and support the elimination of irrigation of nonfunctional turf with potable water.

Existing law provides various findings and declarations of the Legislature related to sustainable water use and demand reduction. Existing law imposes various water use reduction requirements that apply to urban retail water suppliers, including a requirement that the state achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by December 31, 2020.

This bill would prohibit the use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, municipal, institutional, and multifamily residential properties. The bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board to establish, no later than July 1, 2025, specified compliance, certification, and reporting requirements. The bill would require owners of covered properties to certify their compliance with these provisions, and would authorize an urban water supplier, city, county, or city and county to enforce these provisions.

“Nonfuntional turf” would mean any turf that is not located in areas designated by a property owner or a government agency for recreational use or public assembly.

**AB-1572 signed in to law on October 13, 2023 and takes effect January 1, 2024.

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