Amid extreme heat, California adopts new water-saving rules
The blistering heat across California and the West over the last several days has been a stark reminder of how weather extremes are becoming more extreme with the burning of fossil fuels and how this demands a greater focus on adapting to rising temperatures not just today but years into the future. Just as the heat was building last week, California officials made a major decision that will guide how urban water suppliers adapt between 2025 and 2040. The State Water Resources Control Board adopted regulations that will require suppliers in cities and towns to meet individualized water-use targets and conservation goals. The targets under the new rules, which were required under 2018 legislation, will vary widely depending on each city’s circumstances.
Related articles:
- CalMatters: California now has mandatory water conservation in urban areas: How will the new rules affect your supplier?
- San Francisco Chronicle: California to impose first-ever permanent water restrictions on cities and towns
- Newsweek: California’s new permanent water restriction will hit these 3 areas hardest
- Los Angeles Times: In a troubling milestone, Earth surpasses 1.5 degrees C of warming for 12 consecutive months
- Los Angeles Times: ‘Unprecedented’ heat wave in California brings death, fires, all-time highs
- Newsweek: Map shows states experiencing drought as heat wave grips America