Although California’s five-year historic drought has officially ended, it is important to still practice water conservation habits to help avoid another major drought in the future.
In June 2015, Governor Jerry Brown placed statewide mandatory conservation measures and conservation percentage targets which required urban water districts to cut usage by an average of 25 percent over 2013. In July 2016, the California State Water Resources Control Board modified its emergency orders allowing local water agencies to set their own conservation standards, based on the anticipated local water demand for the next three years. In April 2017, Governor Brown declared an end to the drought emergency in California. Prior water agency reporting requirements and water prohibitions still remain in effect.
Where Do We Stand with Water Regulations?
The City of Santa Clarita has already implemented many water conservation practices that have saved more than a billion gallons of water since 2011. Although, the state mandated targets have been lifted locally, we are still doing our part to be water wise!
How Does This Impact Residents?
- Our local water retailers continue to strongly encourage water-wise practices, and NO specific water conservation targets are being enforced, however, Governor Brown has released a Water Action Plan to “make conservation a California way of life.”
- Some state-mandated conservation measures have been made permanent. See list here.