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- Newsom on Thursday signed an executive order encouraging all Californians to voluntarily reduce water use.
- He called for small measures such as taking shorter showers, watering lawns less frequently and running dishwashers only when completely full.
- Newsom also expanded a regional drought state of emergency to apply to 50 of the state’s 58 counties.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is urging residents and businesses in his state to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15 percent amid worsening drought conditions and recent heat waves.
Newsom on Thursday signed an executive order encouraging all Californians to voluntarily reduce water use. He called for small measures such as taking shorter showers, watering lawns less frequently and running dishwashers only when completely full.
He urged Californians to visit the state’s Save Our Water website for tips on how to conserve water.
“We’re hopeful that people take that mindset…we brought into the last drought and extend that forward with a 15 percent voluntary reduction, not only on residences, but industrial commercial operations and agricultural operations,” he said.
He emphasized the order was voluntary but did not discuss whether mandatory restrictions would be required in the near future.
“Not here as a nanny state, we’re not trying to be oppressive,” he said.
The governor noted that less water is being used now than when mandatory restrictions were imposed before the 2013-2016 drought.
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Newsom also expanded a regional drought state of emergency to apply to 50 of the state’s 58 counties, encompassing about 42 percent of the state’s population. Counties added to the state’s emergency proclamation Thursday include Inyo, Marin, Mono, Monterey, San Luis, Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.
The order allows local water agencies and state agencies to work together more efficiently to address water issues.
Much of California is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, the most severe designation of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor’s forecast.
The state is expected to experience excessive heat through the remainder of the week, with highs soaring into the triple digits. This comes after the state is still recovering from a major heat wave that slammed the Pacific Northwest in recent weeks.
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