Drought Vow Victory: Californians Use 22 Percent Less Water
Associated Press | azcentral.com
February 3, 2015
California has experienced one of the driest Januarys on record, and the lack of rain indicates the state is likely headed for a fourth straight year of drought.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — December’s rains enabled Californians to finally meet Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for a 20-percent reduction in monthly water consumption, but more restrictions loom as the state adapts to long-term drought conditions.
California is by no means out of trouble, despite a survey released Tuesday that showed an unusually rainy month helped residents cut water use by 22 percent statewide from December 2013 levels.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack that supplies a third of California’s water is 75 percent below its historical average, and for the first time in recorded history, there was no measurable rainfall in downtown San Francisco in January, when winter rains usually come.
Residents have reduced consumption since July, when the state authorized cities to fine people $500-aday for violating restrictions on lawn watering and washing cars.