CA Requires Builders to Prove Adequate Water Supplies

Following 10 years of often-rancorous debate, California Governor Gray Davis on October 9 signed into law a bill that requires builders of large subdivisions to demonstrate that there will be

adequate water supplies for the development. The new law prohibits cities and counties from issuing permits to projects with 500 or more homes unless the applicable water agency verifies that water supplies are adequate to satisfy the needs for at least the next 20 years. The bill (SB 221), sponsored by Senator Sheila Kuehl, had long been opposed by realtors and developers, but these groups backed down this year due to the Governor’s active support, according to an October 10 article in the

Los Angeles Times. The electricity crisis apparently helped by clarifying the need for long-range resource planning. The Association of California Water Agencies opposed the bill, fearing that it would leave water agencies vulnerable to lawsuits, though the organization was supportive of the linking of land-use decisions to water availability.