California water board issues revised drought regulations plan

California's State Water Resources Control Board released modified proposed conservation restrictions on Saturday, adjusting the planned cuts based on conservation efforts that have already been made by various communities, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A former draft divided water suppliers into four tiers; the new framework places them into one of nine tiers, "to more equitably allocate" cuts. The Associated Press reports that officials from cities which had proactively begun drought-saving efforts were frustrated with the board's original proposal, which answered Gov. Jerry Brown's executive order requiring a 25-percent cutback in urban water usage.

"The fact that we are being dinged additional costs doesn't seem fair,” John Helminski, San Diego's assistant director of public utilities, told AP.

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Across the state, depending on their tier, water suppliers will be expected to cut total daily water use by anywhere from 8 percent to 36 percent. Water suppliers that do not meet their cut could face fines of up to $10,000 per day. The board is expected to vote on the revised framework proposal in early May.