Scorecard: States earn a C in water efficiency, conservation
Alliance for Water Efficiency, Environmental Law Institute release 2017 Water Efficiency and Conservation State Scorecard
According to a report released today by the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), most states have a long way to go to shore up their legal frameworks and improve requirements that contribute to water conservation and efficiency, and long-term resiliency. In the 2017 Water Efficiency and Conservation State Scorecard update, each state received two separate grades: one for efficiency and conservation and one for climate resiliency planning. As the number of droughts and water shortages continues to increase nationally, the existence of state-level laws that advance water efficiency and conservation is becoming more critical. The national average for water efficiency and conservation is a “C,” despite progress made by more than half of states since the 2012 State Scorecard.
The 2017 State Scorecard update identified some key trends and notable states:
“The progress made by many states in the past five years is encouraging, but all states have more to do to meet the significant water supply challenges ahead. Leaders such as California and Texas provide a path for others to follow,” said Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO of the Alliance for Water Efficiency. “States can achieve quick wins by investing in lower-cost initiatives that provide immediate water savings and build resiliency, such as stronger standards for fixtures and drought planning at the state and local levels.”
Seven states discontinued or decreased designated funding for urban conservation programs. About this issue, Dickinson added, “We hope that declining funding for efficiency is not a continuing trend. Water efficiency investments are sound economic strategiesand should remain an important piece of every state’s water funding portfolio.”