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San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl today responded to Gov. Newsom’s announcement rolling back major elements of state drought regulations.

“Extraordinary amounts of rain and snow this winter have dramatically improved water supply conditions across California, and we support the Governor’s decision to end some statewide water restrictions.

“However, the past three years of extreme drought have highlighted fundamental challenges with water management statewide. We cannot and should not lose the urgency created by the drought to improve water transfer markets, increase state investments in water infrastructure, and continue adoption of low-water landscapes.

“And we must not forget that the Colorado River remains mired in decades of hot, dry weather that require new thinking about water use and conservation across the West. Fundamentally, we are no longer talking about drought but an entirely different reality than we were in decades past – the era of climate-driven impacts to our natural resources.

“Every person in San Diego and the western U.S. must continue to eliminate water waste, adopt low-water landscapes, capture rainwater, and take other steps to adapt to a hotter and drier future. It will not be easy or cheap. But the alternative is a return to more drought-related emergencies like California experienced over the past three years.”