California turns water conservation over to local officials

(AP) — California decided Wednesday to allow hundreds of local water districts to set their own conservation goals after a wet winter eased the five-year drought in some parts of the state.

Beginning next month, districts serving nearly 40 million Californians will compare water supply and demand with the assumption that dry conditions will stretch for three years.

Tam Doduc abstained from voting, saying the revised approach does not do enough to address the drought emergency spelled out by Gov. Jerry Brown in a proclamation last week.

Water board officials rejected a proposal for a modest statewide conservation level, saying it contradicted the intent of the plan to empower local districts.

Regulators said they maintain the authority to return to strict conservation, if water-saving efforts dramatically slip or if last winter's rain and snow turns out to be a blip in the easing of the drought.

Bans on actions such as wasting water by washing sidewalks with a hose or cars without a shut-off nozzle will become permanent under the proposed regulation.