SCV Water, with the help of consultant A&N Technical Services, is set to develop SCV Water’s first Water Use Efficiency Strategic Plan. It is a critical planning component that will provide the Agency with strategic objectives and effective conservation program elements to comply with the State’s new Conservation Long-Term Framework and performance measures as well as measures and programs to service the community’s water conservation goals.

“We’re excited to start this venture,” said Matt Dickens, SCV Water sustainability manager. “Successful development of the Water Use Efficiency Strategic Plan will help the Agency to achieve several of its strategic plan goals including advancing demand management in the valley and achieving state mandated water use efficiency targets.”

Conservation Long-Term Framework

In 2018, the State of California adopted AB 1668 and SB 606 to establish a new framework for long-term improvements in water use efficiency with the goal to “Make Conservation a California Way of Life.” The Framework requires urban water suppliers, including SCV Water, to comply with annual urban water use objectives and develop and implement a Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional performance program.

Additionally, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) are working with urban water suppliers to develop methodologies and standards to calculate the urban water use objectives for 2025-2030 with increased efficiency standards for 2030-2035 and beyond.

For more information on the Conservation Long-Term Framework, visit: https://waterboards.ca.gov/conservation/framework/

According to the State Water Resources Control Board, “California has always experienced large swings between dry and wet weather, and due to climate change, these swings are becoming more severe. In 2024, the storms and flooding seen statewide–following years of back-to-back extreme drought—are a crucial reminder to stay prepared. The proposed regulation seeks to cultivate long-term practices that help communities adapt to California’s ongoing water challenges and lessen the need for the kinds of emergency water use reduction targets that were important in recent droughts.”

The WUESP will inform, influence, and impact multiple facets of SCV Water’s operations and strategic initiatives. It will also provide the framework and foundation for Agency communication, education and engagement practices, and organizational and community sustainability efforts.

“During the plan development process, we look forward to reaching out to the community for input and feedback,” said Dickens. “Working together with our customers, we can develop an effective plan that will support our efforts to reach our conservation targets.”

The WUESP has three components, each with measurable impacts:

– Water Demand Forecast Tool – Focuses on compliance with State conservation mandates and improves demand forecasting.

– Strategies & Measures (Plan) – Informs the Urban Water Management Plan, supply planning, and investments, as well as revenue planning and rate design.

– Performance Tracking & Reporting Tool – Enhances Customer Service, engagement and, education, as well as community sustainability, and reduces energy consumption and Greenhouse gas emissions.

History of the Water Use Efficiency Strategic Plan

Prior to its launch, SCV Water, via its legacy entities, developed several iterations of the Water Use Efficiency Strategic Plan in 2009 and 2013, with an update in 2015. The WUESP provided a framework critical to achieving the water use efficiency mandates prescribed in SBx7-7: 20% Reduction in Gallon per Capita Day (GPCD) Consumption by 2020. Each legacy entity successfully complied with the conservation mandates and, as a unified Agency, achieved ~24% reduction in GPCD in 2020.

Following SBx7-7’s sunset, SCV Water implemented an interim conservation goal that leveraged WUESP components to maintain a 2% reduction in daily GPCD per year through 2024. SCV Water has successfully met and surpassed the interim targets, most recently achieving a 41% reduction in GPCD in 2023, partially influenced by weather.

“Our customers have risen to the occasion and have done their part to achieve a 41% water savings in gallons per capita per day in 2023. And that is a significant milestone,” said Dickens. “We’re headed in the right direction, and we continue to gain momentum toward making conservation a California way of life.”

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About SCV Water:

The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 75,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at yourSCVwater.com. For more information, contact Kevin Strauss, SCV Water communications manager, at kstrauss@scvwa.org.