Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Water-efficient fixture ordinance passes

Today in Council, we unanimously passed a new water conservation ordinance that will help us save an average of an additional 1 billion gallons of water every year over the next 20 years.

The new ordinance sets guidelines for water fixtures in new buildings and for the replacement of broken fixtures in existing buildings. Not only will it save water, it will create additional dollar savings for businesses and homeowners who make the switch to the water efficient fixtures. The average household that uses an ultra-low flow toilet will save an average of $90 per year, and the Department of Water and Power offers rebates for most water-efficient fixtures.

Prior to the press conference, I visited the L.A. Convention Center where a recent renovation is saving more than 1 million gallons of water per year. Pictured above is the new dishwasher, which is an Energy Star-rated model that saves 627,000 gallons of water annually.

I hope that this ordinance will serve as a model to other cities in America and across the world.