Radical water-saving legislation being considered

Legislators in Sacramento are working with Gov. Jerry Brown to craft legislation that would regulate groundwater pumping for the first time in the state’s history.

Farmers and cities that tap into California’s underground aquifers – the state’s largest source of water – historically have had no limits on how much water the can take, which has caused water levels to drop to dangerously low levels in some parts of the state, according to multiple reports.

A bill by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agourra Hills, would require local government entities – most likely counties – to bring their groundwater supplies up to sustainable levels. Gov. Brown has endorsed Pavley’s bill, which is being opposed by the California Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s primary farm organization.

California uses more groundwater than any other state: forty percent during most years and up to 60 percent during drought years, according to reports.