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W A T E R E N E R G Y L I F E RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S Board Memorandum BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: MAY 8, 2023 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE STATE DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY DROUGHT REGULATIONS ISSUE: Receive an update on the state drought and emergency drought regulations. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities receive an update on the state drought and emergency drought regulations. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: Drought Timeline from 2014-2022: • 2014 — Governor Brown declared a State of Emergency due to drought. • July 2014 — The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted Resolution No. 2014-0038, which added to the Board's regulations through the emergency rulemaking process, requirements for monthly reporting of urban water use (now permanent reporting) and prohibiting certain wasteful water use practices during the drought. • 2015 — Governor Brown signed Executive Order mandating statewide cutbacks on urban water use. • April 2017 — Governor Brown signed Executive Order B-40-17, rescinding the drought emergency declaration while retaining prohibitions on wasteful water use practices. These expired at a State level in November 2017, but Council has made the prohibitions on wasteful water use permanent as part of the City's Water Conservation Ordinance. • 2019 — Drought conditions return and are further exacerbated in 2021. • July 2021 — Governor Newsom declared a drought emergency and issued Executive Order N-10-21 urging residents to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15% comparing monthly use to the same month in 2020. • January 2022 — The SWRCB adopted an emergency regulation (SWRCB Resolution No. 2022-0002) prohibiting wasteful water use practices that were similarly implemented in 2017, and already enforced by the City's Water Conservation Ordinance.