California Governor Meets With Business Leaders Ahead Of Water Control Board Cuts
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Gov. Jerry Brown met with state business leaders on Thursday a day ahead of the State Water Control Board updating its proposal calling for some water districts to cut usage by as much as 35 percent.
Business leaders are concerned the emergency water cuts meant to have the state meet Brown's mandatory 25 percent reduction could hurt their bottom line.
DATA CENTER: Find out how much the state wants your water district to cut back.
Brown warned the cuts are necessary in an uncertain climate.
"We have less water in this fourth year of the drought than we certainly had before, and we may even have less going forward," he said.
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As Californians tighten up their water use, the state wants to make sure the business community does the same.
Brown has ordered water use cut on state campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes.
Chris Thomas, the president of The California Alliance For Golf, says there will be noticeable effects.
"You're going to see brown-out areas, you're going to see turfgrass removed, and put in there some landscape that is tolerant to the area," he said.
Thomas says state golf courses have drought plans in place and have already cut their water usage by 40 to 50 percent. He says they've also had to invest in expensive equipment and irrigation systems to meet those numbers.
"I does cost money and thats the real roadblock that we have, no question about it," he said.
The order would also cut watering of plants and grass on public street medians.
