Salinas Californian

Laird gets water-conservation award

Dec 14, 2007

Staff report

The California Urban Water Conservation Council this week awarded state Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, the 2007 Mike Moynanhan Excellence Award for Statewide Innovation.

According to the council, this is the first time in the eight-year history of the award that it was been given to a legislator.

Key criteria for award eligibility include innovation, commitment, dedication, integrity, creativity and outstanding service in the field of water resource efficiency. Specifically, Laird was recognized as the author of the following water conservation-related bills:

• AB 2717, which created a Landscape Water Conservation Task Force to make recommendations to the Legislature on improvements in landscape water conservation.
  
• AB 1881, which adopted the legislation recommendation from the task force, including improvements to landscape irrigation equipment, requirement for dual meters for large landscapes and a new model ordinance.
  
• AB 715, which establishes California as the first state to require the installation of high-efficiency toilets and urinals, to be phased in over the next seven years.
  
• AB 1420, which requires as a condition of eligibility for state water management grants, that urban water suppliers implement water conservation measures in order to increase water use and energy efficiency in urban areas.