Listen Now: Water Shortage

Subscribe on iTunes

For the second time in 10 years, people in California will need to restrict their water use. I’m Brian Banmiller on Business.

During the past year Governor Gavin Newsom had called for a voluntary 15% reduction in water use. Unfortunately the goal was not met. Between July and November, the state’s water usage went down just 6%. Now the reduction requests are mandatory. People in the Golden State can no longer water their lawns for 48 hours after a rainstorm or let their sprinklers run onto the sidewalk. Those who do not follow the new rules could face fines of $500 a day. But regulators say they don’t expect many people to be fined since that was the rule last time. The new rules were put into place while the state and the sierras were being hit with record amounts of rain and snow.  But forecasters do not expect that to continue in coming months. And since the state was already in desperate need of water, the recent snow dump is not enough to solve the problem. So, time to cut back and conserve. again. Brian Banmiller, CBS News.

About Brian

CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.