California Water Supplies Pass ‘Stress Test’

The vast majority of California’s urban water districts report they have enough supplies to withstand three more years of drought, clearing them from an imminent return to state-mandated cutbacks under a new program of locally controlled conservation. The State Water Resources Control Board in May dropped a statewide mandate to cut urban water use by 25% from 2013 levels, after California got a reprieve from its five-year drought by more abundant rain and snow this past winter.