California city orders restaurants to use paper plates to conserve water during drought

A Northern California city has ordered restaurants to cut back on dish washing by using disposable plates and cups as a way to save water amid the state’s fourth year of drought.

Fort Bragg officials declared a water emergency after a river that provides the coastal town’s drinking water got so low that ocean water seeped into city pipes.

The city council ordered residents and businesses to cut water use by 30 percent compared to last year’s consumption rate. Residents are barred from washing cars, irrigating lawns and maintaining landscaping with water. Restaurants and hotels are required to use disposable flatware and serve water only upon request. The city of 7,300 is 170 miles north of San Francisco.