CALIFORNIA’S NEW WATER ORDINANCE (or how I stopped worrying and learned to love AB1881)

by Tim Skinner

On January 1^st 2010, a new ordinance was added to the California Code of Regulations: AB1881. And before this gets too Orwellian, let’s review how it will affect the industry.

It applies to new construction and rehabilitated landscapes, both public and private sector, homeowner-provided/hired, some existing landscapes, and cemeteries.

It does not apply to registered historical sites, eco-restoration or land reclamation with temporary irrigation systems, as well as plant collections opened to the public.

For years now we have been assembling documents that have grown in terms of their scope and requirements.

Some new pieces of information or services that may or will be required are:

‘Certificate of Completion’, which contains (among other sundry items) - names, telephone numbers and addresses of applicant and owner, ‘as builts’, irrigation scheduling parameters (for both establishment and established landscapes as well as temporary landscapes) and the irrigation schedule and audit;

‘Landscape and Irrigation Maintenance Schedule’ which amounts to a small manual for the property’s maintenance manager to refer – and we hope – adhere to;

‘Water Audit’ performed by a certified auditor. Just think of it as the ‘Hydrological Police’ or ‘Aqua Investigator’ – but in a good way;

Note-Quadriga's pending Certified Water Auditors:

Russ Mallard, Christine Talbot, Marq Truscott, John Suesens

‘Water Efficient Landscape Worksheet’ which includes the hydrozone information for each separate zone and water budget calculations for each, as well as for the project as a whole. In addition to this, local agencies must provide a copy it to the local water purveyor, for review upon approval of Landscape Documentation Package;

‘Soil Management Report’ to be completed by the project applicant, and supplied to the designer so that we might take it into consideration in preparing our design documents. Confusing, because this is a burden we normally place on the landscape contractor in our specifications. Not to worry – we will work it all out.

One item that we’ve been used to for a time now - the good old ‘Maximum Applied Water Allowance’ - has an additional category for higher water usage, with respect to recreation areas, permanently dedicated edible landscape areas (orchard or garden) and those irrigated with reclaimed water. This is good, and will allow for a continued richness of design, rather than a totalitarian xeriscape mandate. However, many of our projects that are being designed and implemented to accommodate reclaimed water, are and will be waiting for that very supply to be provided. In the interim, they are using potable water, so I see some room for interpretation and clarification.

The use of overhead spray has been reigned in, both in terms of where and when it may be used, as well as how it affects the overall ‘MAWA’ of the project site.

Even model homes must incorporate public education, including signage and pamphlets to indicate how planting, irrigation and grading are responding to these new challenging times.

Yes folks, it is a brave new world, but fear not: as a team, we will comply, and feel good about it too, because it is the right thing to do in these times of dwindling and eco-challenged resources. Rest assured that Quadriga will lead that team.

Related link: City of Santa Rosa Irrigation Guideline