California faces ongoing water challenges including drought, population growth, and climate change. AB 1881 is California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance that aims to increase water use efficiency in new and existing landscapes through requirements, plan checks, audits, and penalties. The ordinance requires appropriate irrigation technology and design standards that use a water budget approach and address issues like distribution uniformity to reduce water use. GIS, GPS, and satellite imagery can help validate irrigation efficiency and estimate landscape water needs. Developing alternative water supplies will also help ease stressed water resources.

1. Addressing Landscape Water Use Paige Gimbal - WaterCounts ASIC, LEED-AP, ARCSA-AP, CID, CLIA EPA Water Sense Partner Sacramento Valley Forum October 28, 2009

2. California’s Dilemma Another year of drought will have severe impacts on both the economy and the environment. However, even when normal rainfall returns, the state will continue to experience water supply challenges due to several factors, including a growing population, measures to protect the environment, aging storage and delivery infrastructure, and climate change.

3. California’s Water Puzzle Quantifying the problem Deteriorating Sacramento – san Joaquin delta Ageing infrastructure Record drought Climate change Conservation constraints Population growth Identifying solutions Everyone shares responsibility for finding practical solutions to build a sustainable water future It will require honest discussion, tough choices and unprecedented cooperation

4. Water’s Soft Path Steps along the soft path: Define the water supply Do more with less Match water quality to use Price water properly Protect our ecosystems Link energy management to water management Address growth responsibly Focus on sustainability Increasing efficiency and reducing waste in the water system is quite often the cheapest, easiest way for us to get new water…

5. Water Use Efficiency Strategy 3: Aggressively increase water use efficiency Using water efficiently is a foundational action for water management Water conservation reduces water demand, wastewater discharges, and can reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions Efficient water use can help communities cope with water shortages that may result from climate change Water use efficiency must be a cornerstone of every water agency’s water portfolio

6. Public agency Legislation Model ordinance Implementation Requirements Validation Plan check Post installation audit Compliance Post construction monitoring Existing landscapes Irrigation industry Technology Smart controllers Rotor nozzles Low volume irrigation GIS technology Satellite imagery Alternative water supplies AB 1881 - California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance

7. Legislation As A Tool Of Change Aimed at irrigation technology that will solve common problems Targets new construction and commercial landscapes Requires landscapes installed after January 1, 2010 to use appropriate technology and design standards Uses a water budget approach to determine how much water may be used Addresses existing landscapes larger than one acre

8. Implementation Requires cities and counties to adopt and enforce the revised model ordinance not later than January 1, 2010 Requires plan check approval to verify that irrigation designs meets model ordinance standards Allows for civil and criminal penalties for non compliance

9. Validation Plan check Requires public agency to validate irrigation design is in compliance Validates that design meets minimum distribution uniformity of 71% Post installation Water audit validates installation meets minimum distribution uniformity of 71% Requires certificate of completion prior to occupancy

10. Compliance Post construction monitoring Monitors irrigation water use through monthly billing cycles Compares actual water use against approved water budget Notifies property owner if corrective action is needed Existing landscapes Subject to irrigation audits, irrigation surveys or water use analysis programs Needs to adhere to calculated water budgets (MAWA) Prohibits water waste

11. Irrigation Technology - Controllers Weather and soil moisture based controllers ETo-based water use budgets developed for accounts with dedicated irrigation meters Irrigation management based on soil moisture content Prohibits sale or installation of non-complying irrigation controllers or moisture sensors for landscape use on or after January 1, 2012 Rain sensor for automatic system shut down during rain event Weather stations communicate to irrigation controllers to upload daily weather data

12. Irrigation Technology – Nozzles Rotator nozzles Reduces water use by approximately 30 percent Lowers application rates prevent runoff Maximizes sprinkler system's distribution uniformity Precision spray nozzles Lowers precipitation rate prevent runoff Uniform droplet size reduce misting and overspray Increases performance and application efficiency

13. Irrigation Technology – Low Volume Subsurface drip tubing 30%-50% less water use KISSS subsurface capillary tubing 50%-85% less water use EPIC capillary chamber 50% - 85% less water use Absorbs natural run-off and effluents

14. GIS Technology GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts GPS and GIS can be used to accurately model the expected distribution of irrigation systems GIS plan check tool validates irrigation design’s distribution uniformity prior to plan approval GIS audit tool validates irrigation design’s distribution uniformity post installation

15. Satellite Imagery Allows public agency to assess existing landscapes to estimate water budgets Colorized satellite imagery shows spatial distribution of remotely sensed vegetation Can be used in conjunction with GIS mapping systems

16. Alternative Water Supplies Reclaim water Encourages the use of reclaim water Stormwater catchment Encourages on-site retention and infiltration of stormwater Rainwater harvesting Encourages rain harvesting technologies including rain gardens

17. Putting It All Together Water use efficiency is an integral piece to the water puzzle that is cost effective and something everyone can do Outdoor water conservation goals can be realized using irrigation technology that is available on the market today GIS and GPS technologies area effective tools to validate distribution uniformity and irrigation efficiency in irrigation design and installation Satellite imagery is an effective tool to estimate existing landscape areas and water budgets Developing alternative water supplies for outdoor water use will ease the burdens of a dwindling water supply

18. It’s Time To Get Serious!