Mandatory water restrictions for Californians may be on the table, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday meeting with representatives from major water agencies.
Newsom reportedly urged urban water suppliers and water associations to get aggressive encouraging customers to do their part conserving the state’s water supply. The same agencies will reportedly meet again this summer to reassess where the state’s water supply stands, though Newsom threatened that Californians may face mandatory restrictions if conservation efforts are not significantly improved, according to a news release from the Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures,” said Newsom. “Californians made significant changes since the last drought but we have seen an uptick in water use, especially as we enter the summer months. We all have to be more thoughtful about how to make every drop count.” (RELATED: County In California May Deploy ‘Water Cops’ To Crack Down On Residents Ignoring Newsom’s Conservation Plea)
Every water agency across CA needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency & implement conservation measures.
Californians made significant changes since the last drought but we’ve seen an uptick in water use. We have to make every drop count. pic.twitter.com/ef099iUcw5
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) May 23, 2022
Last July, Newsom suggested Californians reduce water usage by taking shorter showers, watering their lawns less and fixing leaking pipes or faucets. Because the state failed to meet its goal of lowering water usage by 15%, the State Water Resources Control Board will reportedly vote on a statewide ban of watering non-functional turf in the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors tomorrow. The board will also vote on creating local plans with further restrictions encompassing every urban area of California to reduce water use, the news release noted.
After surviving a recall attempt last September, Newsom, who’s currently running for a second term in California, reportedly told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday he had no interest in running for president in 2024 and said the idea wasn’t on his radar.