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California imposes first ever drastic water usage restrictions

Xinhua, April 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday announced a series of restrictions on water usage by residents, farms and businesses to tackle the severe drought in the state on the U.S. west coast.

The measures, the first ever in California's history, impose mandatory water usage reductions in cities and towns across the Golden State by 25 percent.

"Today we are standing on dry grass where there should be five feet (1.5 meters) of snow. This historic drought demands unprecedented action," Brown said in a statement. "Therefore, I'm issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state."

The state has recognized the snowpack as the lowest ever recorded and the drought, now in the fourth year, as having no end in sight, prompting the governor to step up efforts to save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use and streamline drought response by the state government.

Brown declared a drought state of emergency last year, and the state legislature approved a plan last month to spend 1 billion U. S. dollars on water projects.

The governor's latest move includes replacing 50 million square feet, or 4.6 million square meters, of lawns with drought tolerant landscaping; creating a consumer rebate program to replace old appliances with more water efficient models; requiring campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to significantly cut water use; and prohibiting new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless drip irrigation systems are used.

His executive order calls on local water agencies to adjust their rate structures and implement conservation pricing, as an effective way to realize water usage reductions and discourage water waste.

It requires water users in California's agricultural sector, who have reportedly suffered more than users in any other economic sectors, to report more water use information to state regulators, so as to increase the state's ability to enforce against illegal diversions and waste and unreasonable use of water.

With no way to increase water supply, Brown said in the statement that he intended to "make California more drought resilient." Endite