Calif. imposes first-ever mandatory water restrictions

Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday ordered mandatory water use reductions for the first time in California’s history, saying the state’s four-year drought had reached near-crisis proportions after a winter of record-low snowfalls.

An executive order signed by the governor authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to impose a 25 percent reduction on California's 400 water supply agencies supplying 90 percent of the state's residents, according to the New York Times.

The limits are in effect for the next year.

Read more from the New York Times.