The State Water Resources Control Board voted in favor of emergency water conservation regulation on Tuesday in response to California’s ongoing drought.
The regulation adopted will not impact residences. The new rules, set to go into effect in June, will ban watering turf at commercial, industrial and institutional properties. The ban does not extend to water needed to maintain trees or grass used for recreation.
“The severity of this drought requires all Californians to save water in every possible way,” said Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Board. “The regulation compels water systems and local authorities to implement a range of additional critical conservation measures as we enter the hot and dry summer months.”
The regulation will be submitted to California’s Office of Administrative Law and is expected to become effective upon its approval by that body in the next 10 days or so.