Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

Governor signs water-efficient toilet bill

October 12, 2007

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that would require all new construction in California to use more water-efficient toilets and urinals.

Assemblyman John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) said the AB 715 is the first of its kind in the nation and will yield savings of more than 8 billion gallons of water by the 10th year of implementation.

"With statewide snow levels 71 percent below normal this year, the effects of climate change are not a concept of the future, they're a reality of today," said Laird. "Water conservation is the quickest, cheapest way to manage our water supply and address the impact of population growth and global warming."

The bill would set new water flush volume standards by making use of existing high-efficiency toilet technology, including 111 toilet models produced by 24 manufacturers and 34 models of urinals produced by nine manufacturers.

All new homes, schools, office buildings and other construction would be required to utilize high-efficiency toilets.

Beginning in 2010, the legislation will require 50 percent of all toilets sold in California to meet the new flush standards, ramping up to 100 percent in 2014.