SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said mandatory water restrictions could come if the state's biggest water suppliers don't "take more aggressive actions" to combat the drought.
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After the last drought, California officials tried to avoid enacting sweeping statewide drought legislation and shifted to a more localized approach, with individual municipalities creating their own policies based on their specific needs.
However, Newsom on Monday stated that if current conditions do not improve, the state could be forced to impose mandatory restrictions.
"Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures," Newsom said in a release. "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."
Newsom's office also called on water agencies to more frequently submit water-use data and act more transparently. He also advocated for increased education and outreach efforts to California residents on "the urgency of the crisis."
This January through March, usually the most rain-filled months on the calendar, were the driest in California's history this year. In addition, the state's largest reservoirs are just half of their historical averages, and the state's snowpack is at just 14% of average.
Last July, the state called on residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 15%. As of this March, officials said California had not met those goals.
Newsom's office also provided a list of tips for residents to conserve water, including limiting outdoor watering to one day a week, showers to five minutes and laundry to full loads.
The governor plans to reconvene local water agencies in two months so they can provide him an update on their progress.
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