California is imposing “permanent water restrictions” for the first time ever.
This comes after 20,000 cubic feet per second flowed to the ocean last year because of inadequate storage.
Under the order, rationing and low-flow device mandates will be used to reduce water 30 percent regardless of conditions. Suppliers who don’t comply will face $10,000 per day fines.
The policy, dubbed Making Conservation a California Way of Life, is intended to permanently decrease statewide water use so that water reductions during droughts aren’t as severe.
The new policy was prompted by legislation signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018.
Suppliers will have to find ways to encourage their customers to reduce their water usage, such as imposing restrictions or promoting the use of low-flow appliances.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the cuts will not be based on a one-size-fits-all method but on a formula that weighs several factors, including the area’s past water consumption, climate, and land use.
