ASSEMBLY BILL 1572 IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS FOR NONFUNCTIONAL TURF
BY: MAX MORENO, VP OF WATER CONSERVATION HARVEST LANDSCAPE ENTERPRISES INC.
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n an effort to conserve California’s water resources, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1572 into law on Saturday, October 14, 2023. The law is designed to significantly reduce the use of potable water for irrigating nonfunctional turf, with the goal of enhancing water sustainability across the state.
The law focuses on specific property types, both residential and commercial, where potable water is currently used for nonfunctional turf irrigation. It emphasizes that using potable water for nonfunctional turf irrigation is both wasteful and inconsistent with the State’s policies regarding climate change, water conservation, and reduced reliance on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem. Under the provisions of AB 1572, the use of potable water for irrigating turf that doesn’t serve recreational or community purposes would be prohibited. With respect to homeowners associations and common
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CONNECT MAGAZINE • ISSUE FOUR 2023
interest developments, the effective prohibition date is January 1, 2029. Nonfunctional turf is defined within the law as any turf that does not serve a functional purpose. This definition encompasses turf situated in street rights-of-way and parking lots. Functional turf is further defined as “a ground cover surface of turf located in a recreational use area or community space.” The Bill further defines the terms “community space” and “recreational use area.” Although the precise meaning of these terms has yet to be determined, the law indicates that it does not apply to residential lawns, playgrounds, picnic grounds, pet exercise areas, sports fields, or cemeteries.
