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Governor Newsom warning Californians that there could be mandatory water restrictions across the state.
On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom warned that California could see more mandatory water restrictions if significant cutbacks in water usage are not made by this coming summer. Governor Newsom called for a 15% reduction in the amount of water Californians use last July, but the state has yet to meet that target — according to official reports from the state, savings are at less than 4% since Governor Newsom issued the request. Usage has even increased during the spring months, while the state was receiving smaller rainfall than expected for the season. Statewide water usage increased by nearly 19% in March compared with the same month in 2020.
“Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures,” Governor Newsom said in a statement following a meeting with local and regional water officials. The state drought has dried up streams and lakes, harmed wildlife, sent wildfire risk soaring and caused many local water agencies across the state to restrict lawn watering - and at the going rate, looks to expand multiple years unless significant changes are made. On Tuesday, the State Water Resources Control Board will vote on whether to ban watering of “non-functional turf” outside of commercial and industrial buildings across California.