California threatens ‘mandatory water restrictions’ if people don’t cut back

Governor's warning comes amid drought after driest January-March period in at least a century

California could face mandatory water restrictions if residents don't use less on their own as the drought drags on and the hotter summer months approach, the state's governor has said.

Gavin Newsom threatened the possibly of statewide mandates in a meeting with representatives from major water agencies, including those that supply Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area, according to his office. The Democratic governor has avoided issuing sweeping mandatory cuts in water use and instead favored an approach that gives local water agencies power to set rules for water use in the cities and towns they supply.