§ 1254 Water Use Priority Policy

Water Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says that when deciding who gets to use water, the most important use is for homes and families, and the next most important is for farming.

Key Takeaways

•Water for homes and families comes first.
•Farming is the next most important use of water.
•Other uses of water come after these two.

Example

A farmer and a town both want to use water from the same river.

The town will get the water first because it's for people's homes, and the farmer will get what's left for their crops.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 1254 Water Use Priority Policy

In acting upon applications to appropriate water the board shall be guided by the policy that domestic use is the highest use and irrigation is the next highest use of water. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

domestic use irrigation

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Water Code. Section 1254.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References