The Golden State: California Special Bureau for the Management of Toilet Affairs

Posted: April 8, 2015 | Author: Pundit Planet | Filed under: Health and Social Issues, U.S. News | Tags: Agriculture, Almaden Reservoir, California, California State Water Resources Control Board, Drinking water, Drought, Governor of California, Jerry Brown, Los Angeles, Outdoor water-use restriction, State of Emergency, Water scarcity, Water supply, Water use |Leave a comment

California Drought Leads to Historic Toilet Policy

Katy Steinmetz reports: California officials working to combat the state’s four-year drought are taking aim at everyday practices that use billions of gallons of water each year: flushing toilets and running faucets.

“We’re seeing serious dry spell here in California. And we need to make sure we are not only saving water right now but in the coming years.”

— Amber Beck, a spokesperson for the commission

The California Energy Commission took emergency action on Tuesday by mandating that all toilets, urinals and faucets sold in the state must conserve water. That means only low-flush toilets and low-flow sinks will be allowed for sale after Jan. 1, 2016, regardless of when they were manufactured. The mandate applies to both public places and private residences.

“These regulations come less than a week after Governor Jerry Brown imposed the state’s first-ever mandatory water restrictions, aimed at cutting the state’s usage by 25%.”

“We’re seeing serious dry spell here in California,” says Amber Beck, a spokesperson for the commission. “And we need to make sure we are not only saving water right now but in the coming years.” These regulations come less than a week after Governor Jerry Brown imposed the state’s first-ever mandatory water restrictions, aimed at cutting the state’s usage by 25%.

The commission’s action will set historic efficiency standards for appliances in the Golden State, which are much stricter than the voluntary standards laid out in the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense conservation program. As of 2016, all urinals sold…(read more)

TIME