State officials on Tuesday extended emergency drought regulations through October while also preparing to ease restrictions on select water suppliers.

 

Responding to water districts’ concerns, the California Water Resources Control Board approved new rules that will allow the hundreds of residential water suppliers in the state to apply for reduced water conservation starting this spring. Residents are in the midst of a water-savings campaign that Gov. Jerry Brown mandated last year in response to one of the worst droughts in the state’s history.