Gov. Brown orders California to become a water police state as region begins reverting to uninhabitable desert

For the first time in history, the California government has declared mandatory water restrictions designed to save the state from a water collapse. (But it still won’t work, see below…) An order went

out yesterday from Governor Brown’s office, requiring water agencies to “…implement new pricing models that discourage excessive water use,” reports the LA Times. In other words, your water consumption costs are about to get even higher if you live in California. The directive aims to reduce water consumption by 25% across the state — an aggressive restriction that clearly qualifies as an emergency reduction goal. Also included in the directive is:

• A ban on non-drip irrigation systems for all new homes.

• A requirement for golf courses and cemeteries to “reduce water consumption.” (And yet, the very idea of green golf courses in the middle of a California desert is insane to begin with…)

• Force farmers to report more details on their water usage so that the state government can figure out where all the water is going (and where to restrict it even further).

• Outlawing the watering of grass on public street medians.

• Discussions are also under way to throw “water wasters” in jail for up to 30 days, according to another LA Times article. The most likely source of intel for incarcerating water wasters will be neighborhood snitches who monitor water usage of nearby homes and call the authorities if they see too much water being used.

Will California soon fill its prisons with “water criminals?” If a cop drives by a yard where two people are standing around, and one of them is smoking a joint while the other is watering his yard, guess which one will be arrested? FULL REPORT