California passes water ban for commercial properties amid ongoing drought
By Shawnte Passmore
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SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — Brown lawns are on the horizon as we head into summer.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the California Water Resources Control Board voted to ban watering grass on commercial properties. The new regulation would not affect places like sports fields or other recreational areas.
California saw its driest January through March on record.
After Californians failed to voluntarily reduce water use by 15 percent, the state could see the return of similar water restrictions from 2015.
“It sounds like something that would be challenging at first, but depending on limitations you never know what you can adjust to,” said Davis Adams of Davis.
Now, that the board passed a water ban on commercial turf what does it mean?
Essentially, the mandate targets turf not owned by a homeowner or one frequently used for recreation and community events.
If someone violates the water ban on commercial turf, the person could face a fine.
Water suppliers, the state or local government could enforce this restriction.
On a sweltering day in May, water conservation is on the mind of even Claire Laton-Taylor, a Boston resident visiting her daughter and grandchildren.
“She’s extremely careful about their water usage,” said Laton-Taylor of her daughter’s family. “Turning off the tap when they’re brushing their teeth.”
She rarely, rarely waters her lawn, she said.
But a drier and hotter climate isn’t only impacting the drought.
Firefighters remain on high alert with another red flag warning.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services prepositioned firefighting resources in the same counties as last week’s red flag warning including Yolo.
Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci believes the strategic move gave crews leverage over the weekend’s fires in Northern California.
“Where we had prepositioned resources as well as where the regular fires were, they were able to get on those fires very rapidly and keep them small and put them out,” Ghilarducci said.
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