BREAKING NEWS

California extends mandatory water cutbacks, but eases rules for some

California water regulators extended the state's first-ever mandatory water conservation rules on Tuesday through to the end of the summer dry season next October, saying the state's four-year drought is not over despite a wet winter.
The California State Water Resources Board extended rules requiring urban areas to cut their water usage by about 25 percent statewide over the amount used in 2013 or face fines and other penalties.
But the board eased the restrictions slightly for some communities, allowing slightly lower levels of conservation for areas that experienced large population growth or developed their own alternative sources for water. In addition, communities in hot, dry parts of the state would get a break based on regional climate.