California Water Officials Say They Will Consider Dropping a Mandate Requiring Conservation in the State’s Fifth Year of Drought

California water officials say they will consider dropping a mandate requiring conservation in the state’s fifth year of drought.

The State Water Resources Control Board on Wednesday will vote on whether to give local water districts control of setting their own conservation targets. California is in a fifth year of drought. Near-average rain and snowfall this winter in Northern California lifted key reservoirs. Southern California, however, missed out on much of the precipitation.