20% by 2020
20% by 2020 is the State of California’s requirement to reduce water consumption in California 20% by 2020 as a way to help improve water supply reliability.
In November 2009, the California Legislature passed the Delta Water Package, a comprehensive legislative package on water policy. The package was subsequently signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The goal of the Delta Water Package was to help address California's water issues, including addressing the health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to secure water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration. As part of this package of bills, Senate Bill No. 7 requires all urban water agencies to reduce statewide per capita water consumption 20% by 2020.
There is an interim target of a 10% reduction by 2015. All urban water agencies subject to the Urban Water Planning Act are required to adopt an Urban Water Management Plan, or UWMP, every five years ending in 0 or 5. The UWMP reports information to the State Department of Water Resources about each water supplier’s current water supply, demand and water reduction target for 2020.
All water agencies in the State that provide water to over 3,000 service connections or provide over 3,000 acre-feet of water per year are required to comply with the 20% reduction and complete an UWMP. Agencies that do not complete an UWMP are not eligible to receive grants from the State.
Questions & Answers
Select a question to see the answer:
Yes. Corona’s 2010 UWMP contained conservative assumptions for planning purposes, but still concluded that Corona’s water supplies are sufficient to meet the current and future water needs of its customers.
Corona receives its potable water from three main sources: groundwater, the State Water Project, and the Colorado River. In addition, Corona has a reclaimed water system that treats wastewater that is later used primarily for irrigation of landscaping in commercial and institutional settings.
The State of California, by passing the Delta Water Package, recognized the importance of having a long-term sustainable, reliable water supply for residents and businesses. Water is essential to all life on this planet, yet there is a limited supply available to us for drinking water. Only about 3% of the earth's water is fit for drinking, and two-thirds of that water is stored in ice caps and glaciers. There are many challenges facing the State's water supply; these challenges also affect us here in Corona.
Thank you, Corona, for your efforts so far in helping to reduce our water use! We are on the right track, but we still have work to do. The 20% by 2020 target will need to be met on several different fronts, including:
- Expansion and use of reclaimed water;
- Increasing water use efficiency in our everyday activities; and
- Installation of water-efficient devices, such as high efficiency toilets, smart irrigation controllers, and low-flow showerheads.
Think about your home or business. What are some ways that you could reduce your personal consumption by 20%? For example:
- Could you take shorter showers a few days out of the week?
- Could you install a water-saving fixture such as a low-flow showerhead, faucet aerator, or high-efficiency clothes washer? Check our rebates and programs to see what's available.
- What about outdoors? Have you replaced your standard sprinkler controller with a "smart" timer that adjusts for the weather? It does the work so you don't have to! Check our rebates and programs to see what's available.
- Have you considered removing some of your turf and replacing it with low water-using plants? We live in a semi-arid climate; using plants that have adapted to live in this type of weather means you need less water to irrigate. Since we only receive about 12 inches of rainfall annually on average, we have to do a lot of additional watering to keep high-water use plants alive and happy.
- Could you install drip irrigation in your existing planter areas? Drip irrigation puts water where it is needed - at the plant roots. This means you won't be feeding weeds in your planters.
All of these approaches will help Corona reach our goal of a 20% reduction in water consumption by 2020. Our Water Resources team is here to help! We offer landscape check-ups, rebates and landscape classes. Please contact our Water Resources team at (951) 736-2234 or by email at StopTheDrop@DiscoverCorona.com for help achieving your 20% reduction.
Remember, make every drop count - use water efficiently!
Learn More
For more information about 20% by 2020, urban water management plans and water use efficiency, visit these websites: