Newsom discusses response to worsening drought conditions, urges 15% cut in water use

Governor Newsom announced on Thursday an expansion of the drought emergency proclamation, which will include nine more counties. The drought emergency proclamation now covers a total of 50 counties out of the 58 in the state as drought conditions have continued to worsen.

The proclamation will now include San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and more. Newsom also announced that he will be signing a new executive order. According to Newsom, the executive order will lay out a framework for voluntary water conservation.

Newsom urged Californians to voluntarily cut back water usage by 15%, which would save 850,000 acre-feet of water. This is enough water to supply more than 1.7 million households for a year. Newsom said that Californians have made water conservation a way of life and that it can be done again.

“We are encouraging people to do common sense,” Governor Newsom said. “Like reducing the amount of irrigation in the water, reducing the time you are in the shower.”

Easy ways to encourage water conservation are to limit outdoor water use, use recycled water for outside projects, reduce your time in the shower, and only use the dishwasher and water machines when it is full.

More information about water conservation can be found on SaveOurWater.com.

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