With drought conditions worsening, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday asked cities and water agencies across the state to reduce water usage and tighten restrictions.
Although not a mandate, the governor suggested, at a press conference at Lopez Lake, that Californians reduce water usage by at least 15 percent.
He also called for municipal water agencies to implement more aggressive measures to conserve water.
Newsom signed an executive order which also asks the state water resources board to evaluate a proposed ban on watering “non-functional” grass on commercial properties. The ban would not include residential lawns or grass used for recreation, such as school fields, sports fields, and parks, he said.
Newsom also asked local water suppliers to implement restrictions as if preparing for a water shortage of up to 20 percent.
“We are now two years into a drought…”Newsom said. “Conditions are such that we continue to devolve.”
Newsom first signed a state of drought emergency in April, two years into one of the worst droughts in California history, which has been expanded to 50 of 58 counties, including Colusa County.
The governor’s executive order lays out a framework to encourage voluntary water conservation, and asks residents to look for water leaks in and around the home, reduce shower time, reduce outdoor irrigation, use water-wise plants, avoid water runoff into outdoor drains and gutters, and to fully load dishwashers and washing machines.
Newsom said any effort to save water will not only allow residents to save money on their utility bills, but would also help the state work through drought conditions.
“We have been through these proclamations before and we’ve come through them remarkably well because Californians have taken these declaratory directions – these voluntary efforts – to heart and have taken them very seriously,” Newsom said.
Newsom plans to invest $5.2 billion over three years to support the immediate drought response and build water resilience, including funding to secure and expand water supplies; bolster drought contingency planning and multi-benefit land repurposing projects; support drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with a focus on small and disadvantaged communities; advance Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation to improve water supply security and quality; and support wildlife and habitat restoration efforts, among other nature-based solutions.
The reductions in urban water use come as farmers face substantial water cutbacks. See update in the April 7, edition in the Pioneer Review. ■