California and the U.S.

The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.

California Proposes Delaying Rules Aimed at Reducing Water on Lawns, Concerning Environmentalists

California regulators this week proposed delaying new rules aimed at reducing how much water people use on their lawns, drawing praise from agencies that said they needed more time to comply but criticism from environmentalists who warn that the delay would damage the state’s already scarce supply.

California’s Largest New Reservoir Project In 50 Years Gains Momentum

Colusa County is known for sprawling rice farms and almond orchards, wetlands full of migrating ducks and geese, staunch conservative politics, and the 19th-century family cattle ranch where former Gov. Jerry Brown retired five years ago.

Colorado River States Remain Divided On Sharing Water, and Some Tribes Say Their Needs Are Still Being Ignored

The states that use the Colorado River have put out their latest proposals on how to manage the river’s shrinking amount of water, and the two plans reveal that there are still big differences in how upstream and downstream states want to divvy up future cuts to their water consumption.

Federal Judge Finds Flint, Michigan, in Contempt Over Lead Water Pipe Crisis

A federal judge has found the city of Flint in contempt for failing to comply with a court order that spelled out the steps it needed to take to finish replacing old lead pipes following the Michigan city’s lead-contaminated water scandal.

California Facing ‘Invisible Water Surcharge’

Crop water demand in California’s San Joaquin Valley has increased to the size of a major reservoir in just 12 years due to climate change, a study has found. An integral region for agriculture, particularly in fruit and nut production, it has been subjected in the past 10 years to severe drought conditions, with extreme […]

This State Program Offers Assistance With Your Water Bill | Dollars & Sense

Many families across California are struggling to afford their residential water and sewage bills. A state program offers help in paying those bills, but the deadline to apply is fast approaching.