Urban water demand management: model water efficient landscape ordinance: scientific panel.

Existing law, the Urban Water Management Planning Act, requires each urban water supplier to prepare and implement a water management plan for the efficient use of available water supplies for submission to the Department of Water Resources and other entities. The act also requires the department, in consultation with the California Urban Water Council, to convene an independent technical panel to provide information and recommendations on new demand management measures, technologies, and approaches. Existing law, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act, requires the Department of Water Resources to update a specified model water efficient landscape ordinance by regulation and prescribes various requirements for the updated model ordinance. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2011, to convene an expert scientific panel to review, and provide recommendations for, updates to the model water efficient landscape ordinance and proposed rules, regulations, and guidelines relating to urban residential water demand management. The bill would prescribe the membership of the panel and requirements for the panel's review and recommendation functions. The bill would require the department to submit specified proposed updates, rules, regulations, and guidelines to the panel and to consider the panel's findings and recommendations and take specified actions based on those findings and recommendations. The bill would authorize the department to reimburse members of the panel for expenses incurred pursuant to these provisions upon the appropriation of funds by the Legislature for that purpose.