Californians, start conserving

Abill that would require Californians to cut per-capita water use 20% by 2020 quietly passed in the Assembly last week, by a vote of 48 to 30. Though it didn't get much attention, AB 2175 was the first serious effort to impose a statewide target for water conservation in California -- a major shift for a state where water management is fragmented and historically has been based on a blind and false faith that cities and farms will always be able to get more water when they need it.

June 2, 2008