California now under mandatory, statewide water restrictions

April 1, California Governor Jerry Brown instituted the state’s first-ever mandatory water restrictions, NPR reports.

The announcement comes as California is entering its fourth year of drought and as the Sierra Nevada saw its lowest snowpack level on record.

The statewide mandate calls for reductions in water use by 25 percent for California cities and towns; new pricing structures by water agencies; replacing 50 million square feet of lawns with drought tolerant landscaping; more rebates for water-efficient devices; and new reporting guidelines for agriculture water users.

For more on this story, visit NPR.org.