Sacramento – August 4, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2404 into law Monday.  Assemblymember Mary Salas authored AB 2404- a bill that requires the California Public Utilities Commission to report to the legislature the findings of a pilot program that studies the relationship between water savings and the reduction of energy use.  AB 2404 also requires the California Public Utilities Commission to make recommendations on cost effective energy efficiency improvements through water conservation programs.

“With the cost of energy on the rise it is necessary to examine this relationship (between water and energy) and recognize the possible benefits that conservation partnerships between utilities and water agencies can have for California.  AB 2404 will ensure that California is doing everything we can to save energy and not waste it,” stated Ms. Salas when recently asked about the importance of AB 2404.

If energy utilities can create cost-effective energy savings by encouraging water conservation, they should add water conservation programs to other more direct energy-saving programs as part of the utilities’ energy efficiency portfolio.

Assembly Bill 2404 was supported by the Metropolitan Water District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, California Public Utilities Commission, Breathe California, and Green Plumbers USA.