SB 407: Home Improvements Trigger Water Conservation Compliance

Did you know that a 2009 California law requires water efficient upgrades to millions of existing homes starting this year?  According to CBS Los Angeles (CBSLA.com), “Senate Bill 407 calls for any residential and commercial property built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994, to replace plumbing fixtures that are not water conserving."

Senate Bill 407 went into effect on January 1, 2014 and impacts about 11 million single-family homes and buildings statewide.

But you may not have to replace plumbing fixtures just yet. The new law initially only affects home alterations and improvements, not repair and maintenance jobs. According to the Orange County Register, SB 407 “requires owners of California homes or buildings constructed before 1994 to replace all outdated toilets, faucets and showerheads with low-flow, water-conserving fixtures as part of their remodeling jobs.”

Alterations or improvements that trigger the new law's provisions include  new room additions, or kitchen or bathroom remodels. In contrast, repair and maintenance projects such as a new roof or siding, replacing water heaters or air conditioning, or upgrading electrical systems, would not activate the upgrade requirements for homeowners.

But time is slowly running out. As the OC Register article points out, “within the next three years, all older houses will need to upgrade, whether or not they're being remodeled." 

By January 1, 2017, all noncompliant plumbing fixtures in any single family residential real property built before 1994 must be replaced by the property owner with water-conserving plumbing fixtures.