A water conservation proposal could kill tree canopies. Regulations need a reboot | Opinion
California officials are preparing new urban water conservation rules intended to help the state adapt to a drier future caused by climate change. In reality, the proposed restrictions are so great they could actually harm those adaptation efforts by sacrificing the tree canopy we have nurtured in our cities for generations.
The “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” rule package, proposed by the State Water Resources Control Board, sets conservation targets unique to each urban water agency in the state. While conserving each and every year makes sense, so must the restrictions. A recent report by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office found big flaws in the Water Board’s approach, describing the proposal as overly complex, expensive and unrealistic, with potential water savings amounting to a mere drop in the bucket statewide.
We are particularly concerned about the potential impact California’s mature urban tree canopies. They serve as our first line of defense against climate change. Trees play a crucial role in cleaning the air, sequestering carbon emissions and providing essential cooling in our urban heat islands. The California Air Resources Board identified support of trees among the most impactful urban adaptations to address climate change.
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Ironically, the Water Board is proposing to reduce water budgets for outdoor use to the point that property owners could only comply by starving urban forests of water and making California communities hotter and less livable.
The conservation targets start out modestly in 2025, but then require progressively steeper water savings by 2035. The Legislative Analyst’s Office report states that over 40% of California’s 400 urban water agencies would be required to cut water use by at least 20% by 2035. More than 80 agencies would have to cut water use by over 30%, with inland regions facing much larger reductions than coastal regions. These reductions would essentially mimic 2012-2016 drought conditions that killed or sickened one in five Sacramento trees.
Conservation targets on this scale are a daunting challenge. Water use up and down the state is far more efficient than a generation ago. The more cost-effective ways to advance water conservation, such as rebates to replace older toilets and imposing tiered water rates, have been in place for years.
The Water Board’s target for outdoor water use by 2035 is particularly unrealistic. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, achieving these new targets would require big changes to California’s urban landscapes. In addition, the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California found that achieving water savings of 20%, 30% and more will be challenging for many communities without compromising the health of urban greenery, including shade-providing trees.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office has also raised concerns about the impact of these regulations on water affordability, particularly for lower-income customers who struggle to afford rate increases and have less ability to reduce water use. These communities, which research shows often have fewer trees than wealthier communities, could bear a greater impact when it comes to tree mortality.
Our members at California ReLeaf, a network of over 80 nonprofit urban forestry organizations, note that the cost of irrigation is a major obstacle to increasing tree canopy in lower-income neighborhoods. Nonprofits receive state and federal money for tree planting to enhance climate adaptation in these neighborhoods, but school districts and municipalities regularly decline projects due to current irrigation constraints.
The Water Board must revise its draft conservation regulations. It should take the recommendations in the Legislative Analyst’s Office and Public Policy Institute of California reports. In particular, it should set outdoor watering standards consistent with the recommendations from the California Department of Water Resources. This would reduce harm to trees and low-income communities.
Californians have tended our city trees for generations, creating urban forests that provide shade, habitat and beauty. Today, we respect these urban forests even more because we know they’re always working to pull planet-warming gases out of the atmosphere. If we truly want to adapt to climate change, we must find ways to conserve water that allow our trees to continue this work for generations to come.
Jim Peifer is executive director of the Sacramento Regional Water Authority , an association of more than two dozen urban water utilities in California’s capital city metro area. Victoria Vasquez is grants and public policy manager for California ReLeaf , which works to protect, enhance and grow California’s urban and community forests.
