California tries to tackle historic water shortage

World Today

A NASA scientist recently made a dire claim that California had just a one year supply of surface water left. A majority of the state is suffering from severe drought with no end in sight.

It’s leaving lawmakers no choice but to impose more water rationing and draft more emergency relief plans. CCTV’s May Lee filed this report from Southern California.

(Source: United States Drought monitor)

Highlights:

  •  A new one-billion dollar emergency drought relief plan is the latest move by California lawmakers in the battle against a brutal drought, now in its fourth year.
  • Eighty percent of California’s water is used for agriculture, but much of the supply from state and federal agencies has been reduced or completely cut off.
  • The State Water Resources Control Board approved new rules including withholding drinking water at restaurants unless requested, not changing linens daily at hotels and limiting lawn watering to two days a week.
  • The new restrictions will likely boost the Cash in Your Lawn programs throughout the state. Cities like Los Angeles pay residents to replace their grassy lawns with drought resistant landscaping, which requires a lot less watering.