California imposes compulsory water restrictions in view of drought

The US state of California has announced mandatory water restrictions for the first time to combat the impact of the ongoing drought in the state.

Following snow surveys in the state, which indicated the lowest snowpack ever recorded, California governor Jerry Brown ordered residents, businesses and farms across cities and towns to cut their water consumption by 25%.

Brown said: "Today, we are standing on dry grass where there should be 5ft of snow. This historic drought demands unprecedented action.

"Therefore, I’m issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state. As Californians, we must pull together and save water in every way possible."

The imposed restriction is expected to assist the state in their water conservation efforts by enforcing means to prevent wasteful water usage. It is also likely to streamline the drought response initiatives in California.

The state has been reeling under drought conditions for over two years.

The mandatory cut is expected to save nearly 1.5 million acre-feet of water over the next nine months. One acre-foot of water is the equivalent of approximately 325,000gal.

Other water conservation measures include reduction water use in campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes.

It suggests replacement of 50 million square feet of lawns with ‘drought-tolerant landscaping’, setting up a temporary, statewide consumer rebate programme to swap old appliances with more efficient water models as well as a ban on watering ornamental grass on public street medians.

In March, the state had announced a $1bn emergency package to enhance its drought resiliency and ensure water supply.

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Image: Nasa Grace satellite data showing severity of California’s drought on water resources and trend in water storage between September 2011 and September 2014. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.