ENGROSSED SENATE
JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 31	By:	Paddack and Fields of the Senate

			and

		Hilliard of the House

A Joint Resolution directing the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to identify and prioritize water conservation measures for inclusion in certain Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan; directing Board to develop recommendations for water conservation goals; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, water is an invaluable resource for the citizens, businesses and environment of this state and water conservation is a vital component for balancing supply and demand and necessary to meet future water needs;
WHEREAS, technical studies currently being conducted as part of the update to the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan preliminarily identify certain regions of this state which may suffer water supply shortages within the next fifty years;
WHEREAS, the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan contains methodology tools to assist water planners and users in estimating potential savings from basic conservation measures and can help all Oklahoma water users realize significant water and cost savings by the use of simple conservation measures;
WHEREAS, conservation measures such as meter replacement programs, leak detection and repair, the use of increasing block rate structures for public water supply providers and the utilization of improved irrigation technology should be encouraged and incentivized; and
WHEREAS, educational opportunities to teach the value of water conservation, such as the Water Conservation Grant Program operated by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, should be encouraged and funded.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 53RD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
SECTION 1.  The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall coordinate with federal and state agencies and other partners and stakeholders participating in the update to the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan to identify and prioritize water conservation measures that may have the greatest impact on balancing long-term water supplies and demands across the state, and include a list of such priorities in the next update of the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan.
SECTION 2.  The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall develop recommendations regarding the establishment of reasonable water conservation goals, on a statewide or regional scale, for inclusion in the next update of the Oklahoma Water Conservation Plan scheduled to be delivered to the Governor and Legislature in 2012, and in updates prepared thereafter.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State is hereby directed to distribute copies of this resolution to the Governor, the Secretary of Environment, and the Chair of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
Passed the Senate the 8th day of March, 2011.

	
Presiding Officer 	of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 2011.

	
Presiding Officer of the House
	of Representatives