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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cThe realities of climate change are nowhere more apparent than in the increasingly frequent and severe drought challenges we face in the West and their devastating impacts on our communities, businesses and ecosystems,\u201d said Governor Newsom. \u201cThe entire state is in a drought today, and to meet this urgent challenge we must all pull together and do our part to reduce water use as California continues to build a more climate resilient water system to safeguard the future of our state. We\u2019re proud of the tremendous strides made to use water more efficiently and reduce water waste, but we can all find opportunities this summer to keep more water in reserve as this drought could stretch into next year and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Governor today\u00a0signed an Executive Order<\/a>\u00a0calling on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent compared to 2020 levels through simple actions such as reducing landscape irrigation, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, finding and fixing leaks, installing water-efficient showerheads and taking shorter showers. These voluntary efforts complement specific local conservation mandates already in place in some communities experiencing acute water shortage conditions this summer.<\/p>\n State officials estimate an additional 15 percent voluntary reduction by urban water users from 2020 levels could save as much as 850,000 acre-feet of water over the next year for future use, or enough to supply more than 1.7 million households for a year.<\/p>\n At Lopez Reservoir in San Luis Obispo County, Governor Newsom discusses drought emergency response<\/p>\n The State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Water Resources will monitor progress on voluntary conservation, reservoir storage, soil moisture and other metrics in the coming months to determine whether additional drought response actions are needed.<\/p>\n To help Californians take simple action to reduce water use by 15 percent, state agencies are partnering with local water suppliers to promote conservation tips through the\u00a0Save Our Water<\/a>\u00a0campaign. The campaign and website were critical resources for Californians during the 2012-2016 drought and remain a trusted information source on using water wisely.<\/p>\n During the 2012-2016 drought, Californians responded to the call to conserve, with many taking permanent actions that continue to yield benefits. Statewide per capita residential water use declined 21 percent between the years 2013 and 2016 and today, the urban sector is using approximately 16 percent less on average statewide than in 2013.\u00a0Building California\u2019s drought and climate resilience, local water suppliers and communities are also bolstering their drought planning and making forward-looking investments in water recycling, stormwater capture and reuse, groundwater storage and other strategies.\u00a0Agricultural water users have made significant investments in irrigation efficiencies since the last drought. Despite those efforts, many agricultural producers are experiencing severe reductions in water supplies this year and are fallowing land in response.<\/p>\n At Lopez Lake in San Luis Obispo County today, Governor Newsom also\u00a0signed a proclamation<\/a>\u00a0expanding the regional drought state of emergency to include nine additional counties where drought effects are increasingly severe or where state emergency response may be needed: Inyo, Marin, Mono, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. This will enable state agencies to more quickly and effectively support drought response through actions such as expediting purchasing and contracting to complete projects that shore up water supplies.<\/p>\n While drought conditions exist across the state, the counties covered by the proclamations are experiencing severe impacts and are likely to benefit from these emergency actions. Following the initial emergency proclamation issued in\u00a0April<\/a>\u00a0for the hardest-hit counties, and its expansion in\u00a0May<\/a>, today\u2019s executive action brings a total of 50 of the state\u2019s 58 counties under the drought state of emergency. The Governor has also\u00a0directed state agencies<\/a>\u00a0to take further actions to preserve critical water supplies, address drought impacts and protect people, natural resources and economic activity.<\/p>\n The Governor in May proposed $5.1 billion in water resiliency investments over four years to bolster the state\u2019s emergency drought response, build regional capacity to endure drought and safeguard water supplies for communities, the economy and the environment. The Administration is working with the Legislature to finalize budget investments that will address drinking water challenges in small and disadvantaged communities, support Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation and multi-benefit land repurposing and fund projects that improve ecosystem health for native fish and other wildlife, among other priorities.<\/p>\n Actions by the Administration to address drought to date include:<\/p>\n For more tips on saving water, visit\u00a0www.saveourwater.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\n