(a) The department, in coordination with the board, shall conduct necessary studies and investigations and, no later than October 1, 2021, recommend for adoption by the board in accordance with this chapter appropriate variances for unique uses that can have a material effect on an urban retail water supplier’s urban water use objective.

(b) Appropriate variances may include, but are not limited to, allowances for the following:

(1) Significant use of evaporative coolers.

(2) Significant populations of horses and other livestock.

(3) Significant fluctuations in seasonal populations.

(4) Significant landscaped areas irrigated with recycled water having high levels of total dissolved solids.

(5) Significant use of water for soil compaction and dust control.

(6) Significant use of water to supplement ponds and lakes to sustain wildlife.

(7) Significant use of water to irrigate vegetation for fire protection.

(8) Significant use of water for commercial or noncommercial agricultural use.

(c) The department, in recommending variances for adoption by the board, shall also recommend a threshold of significance for each recommended variance.

(d) Before including any specific variance in calculating an urban retail water supplier’s water use objective, the urban retail water supplier shall request and receive approval by the board for the inclusion of that variance.

(e) The board shall post on its Internet Web site all of the following:

(1) A list of all urban retail water suppliers with approved variances.

(2) The specific variance or variances approved for each urban retail water supplier.

(3) The data supporting approval of each variance.

(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 15, Sec. 7. (AB 1668) Effective January 1, 2019.)