On April 1, 2015, in response to the dire conditions of the Sierra Nevada snowpack at the end of winter, Governor Jerry Brown of California issued an executive order that directed the State Water Board to impose emergency water restrictions.
The aim was to achieve a 25% statewide reduction in potable urban water usage—with water efficiency measures aimed at commercial, industrial, and agricultural users. To achieve this statewide goal, some cities had to reduce their water consumption by more than 40% (State Water Resources Control Board 2017). This massive cut was the culmination of a century-long effort to satisfy a growing population and economy in California with limited water resources (Hundley 2001).
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