IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
California water officials have approved regulations meant to bring about drastic reductions in water use ordered by Gov. Jerry Brown last month.
Water districts statewide will be required to cut their water consumption by as much as 36 percent in some cases compared with their March 2013 levels of use or risk being fined, according to multiple reports.
Despite pleas from some water agency officials, members of the State Water Resources Control Board would not budge from the draconian cuts, which are in line with the reductions called for in an executive order Brown signed on April 1.
Water districts have been ordered to cut their use from eight percent to 36 percent based on their consumption from July to September of last year.
Statewide, Brown wants water use cut by 25 percent, which would save an estimated 1.3 million acre-feet by next February. About half that amount was saved during 2104, the reports stated.
The cutbacks are expected to cost the state up to $1.3 billion.
Local water agencies will have to decide how to reduce water use in their jurisdictions. Those methods are likely to include limits on outdoor irrigation and stricter rater tiers, the reports stated.
