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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />of reasonable beneficial use. The constitution prohibits. "the <br /> <br />waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable diversion of water." _/ <br /> <br />further. the legislature has established as state policy the develop- <br />ment and use of water for the greatest public benefit. The State <br /> <br />Water Resources Control Board may condition water use permits <br /> <br />to serve the public interest. Under water code Section 1253, <br /> <br /> <br />SWRCB may appropriate waters "under such terms and conditions <br /> <br />as in its judgement will best develop, conserve and utilize in <br /> <br />the public interest the water sought to be appropriated." <br /> <br />The State has shown a keen interest in water conservation, <br /> <br />particularly due to the needs of arid southern Galifornia. By <br /> <br /> <br />statute and executive order state agencies are directed to adopt <br /> <br />feasible water conserving practices. In 1979, the legislature <br /> <br />established a Renewable Resources Investment Fund and allocated <br /> <br />S2.8M to the Department of Water Resources for urban conservation <br /> <br />programs and S4.5M to the state Water Resources Control Board <br /> <br />for facilities to reclaim municipal wastewater. The state has <br /> <br />laws requiring low flush toilets in new residential construction. <br /> <br />It also provides a 55% tax credit for the cost of water conservation <br /> <br />fixtures and cistern systems. <br /> <br />Also in 1979. an Office of Water Conservation was established <br /> <br />within DWR with a staff of 28 and a budget of SSM. Some of the <br />many activities of this office include: (1) development of an <br />irrigation meanagement program and scheduling guide; (2) deployment <br />of four mobile laboratories for evaluating farm efficiencies: <br />(3) supporting numerous research and demonstration projects involving <br /> <br />.3.E <br />