Drought or no drought, California water regulators are pushing ahead with a new conservation policy that could force some communities to cut water use upward of 30% permanently — though on more lenient terms than originally proposed. The first-of-its-kind regulation is intended to help the state confront chronic water shortages as climate change makes for hotter, drier weather. The initial draft of the regulation, released last year, was widely criticized for asking roughly 400 cities and water agencies to cut back too much too quickly. The cost of compliance was also a concern. Acknowledging the burden, the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday unveiled a revised set of rules that would allow some communities to use more water than originally planned as well as extend deadlines for meeting the conservation mandates.

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• Newsweek: New Permanent Water Restrictions to Be Rolled Out in California
• Conserve4California: Newsletter – Investing in conservation is the most equitable, affordable, and reliable option for meeting California’s water needs in this era of climate change.
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• Association of California Water Agencies: State Water Board Releases Revised Draft Regulation For Water Use Efficiency