If you’re ready to make bigger changes outside, updating yards with native landscaping that includes water-wise plants and hardscaping elements, like pavers, granite or bark, can create year-round outdoor living spaces that eliminate the need to weed, mow and water regularly. Simply watering your lawn less and fixing leaks inside and outside the house can save thousands of gallons of water each year.

The good news is there are simple actions we can take right now to help save water in a big way. As the state prepares for the possibility of a fourth dry year and potential weather extremes, it’s more important than ever that all of us adopt water conservation as a way of life.įor many homeowners, most water use and waste happens in our yards – in some areas, up to 75 percent of residential water use comes from sprinklers and other outdoor irrigation. To match the pace of climate change, we know we must move smarter and faster – and we’re doing that.Ĭalifornians have repeatedly answered the call to use less water in past droughts. The plan outlines our aggressive, science-led approach to addressing California’s water future by reimagining the way we source, store and deliver water statewide for future generations. These key actions are part of a comprehensive water resilience plan, “ California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future,” which my administration released in August to highlight how we can stretch existing supplies and develop new sources to replace the water we will lose in this new era of warming temperatures. And it’s also up to all of us to keep doing our part to curb our water use.Ĭalifornia is investing billions of dollars into concrete actions that will secure the future of our state’s water supply. The state has implemented unprecedented measures to cut water use, build storage capacity and increase supply. Without action, state officials believe extreme weather could diminish California’s water supply by up to 10 percent by 2040. These changes mean we must continue adapting to a hotter, drier future.

We’re seeing this not just in California, but across the entire American West. We are experiencing more extreme weather – hotter temperatures, longer and more severe droughts, worsening wildfires and dangerous flash flooding.

A Shot in the Bark by C.A. Newsome