New water restrictions coming to California

As most of California still experiences drought conditions, the state is adopting some new regulations in hopes it will help.

The new rules were adopted Tuesday by the California State Water Resources Control Board. These regulations will now include:

• No watering lawns for 48 hours after a rainstorm.
• No outdoor watering that results in excessive runoff into the street or sidewalks.
• No washing cars with hoses that don't have shutoff nozzles.
• No using potable water to wash driveways, sidewalks, buildings, or to fill decorative fountains or lakes.

Once the board's administrative review is complete by the end of the month, these rules will officially take effect.

Most of the western part of the United States is also experiencing drought conditions, but California has been the only one to adopt regulations like this on residential use.

Those in violation could face $500 daily fines, but regulators do say they expect these penalties to be rare.

The action comes as California fell short of Governor Gavin Newsom's call last July to cut water in the state by 15%.

Between July and November, the state's water usage only went down 6%.

Chief Deputy Director for the State Water Board, Eric Oppenheimer said, “Conserving water and reducing water waste are critical and necessary habits for everyone to adopt as we adjust to these uncertainties and we build resilience to climate change, so adopting emergency regulations now just makes sense."