Water Education Foundation
This is just one post in the Legislation - State & Federal Category
Click here to view all posts

Water plan goes easy on ag users, critics say

Posted by: Maven on November 8, 2009 at 7:33 am

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Cities across the state must slash water consumption by about 20 percent over the next decade under newly passed legislation aimed at reworking the aging policies and plumbing that determine water flow to 38 million Californians.

But the California agriculture industry, which consumes an estimated three-quarters of the water used in the state, won’t have to change its practices much under the new rules.

And that vexes many involved in the political wrangling over water in a state where global warming, population growth and crumbling infrastructure are forcing wrenching changes in the way natural resources are divvied up.

“Water conservation targets are needed to make real progress and they have to happen among urban and agricultural interests – that’s a huge missing piece when you think that agriculture is the largest water user in the state,” said Juliet Christian-Smith, senior research fellow at the Pacific Institute, a nonpartisan water think tank in Oakland. …”

Red more from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.

November 8, 2009 · Filed Under Legislation - State & Federal

Comments

Leave a Reply