Starting in 2012 and continuing to date (March of 2015), the state of California entered into a state of extreme drought. To emphasize the magnitude of the issue, California State Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency to encourage preparation for a long term crisis. On March 19, 2015, California state legislature announced a forthcoming bill dedicating $1 billion to alleviate the effects of this drought on citizens, especially farmers.

As the drought continues, San Francisco residents can expect rate hikes on water bills, restrictions on water use, and more expensive produce costs.

                                                                           A map of the drought severity in California

In brighter news, Californians have become even more efficient with their water usage, as the overall water conservation rate increased by over 20% since 2014. Click here to learn more about how you can conserve water.