drought

California’s Governor has signed a US$1bn emergency legislation to fast track funds for the drought stricken state.

Governor Edmund Brown signed the emergency package on 27 March as the state heads in to its fourth consecutive year of drought.

'This funding is just one piece of a much larger effort to help those most impacted by the drought and prepare the state for an uncertain future,' said Brown in a statement. 'Rain is not in the forecast and every Californian must be doing their utmost to conserve water.'

The legislation follows the State Water Resources Control Board’s emergency regulations put in place last year that limit water use across the state, with agricultural water use severely limited.

In November last year, that state’s US$7.5bn water bond was passed to protect future water supplies, offering statewide investment in water storage, drinking water protection and water supply infrastructure, with California state committing an additional US$870m in drought relief over the past year.