The Latest: California will consider lifting drought cuts
California will consider lifting a mandatory statewide water conservation order for cities and towns as the state's drought eases.
The state Water Resources Control Board will decide May 18 whether to lift a conservation target, most recently for at least 20 percent water cutbacks by urban users statewide.
Water officials are proposing lifting the mandatory conservation target for cities and towns that can prove they have enough water to get by should the drought persist another three years.
Brown's order on Monday came as water officials considering whether to ease a 20 percent conservation order for cities and towns.
The state is also required to prepare emergency water restrictions for 2017 in case the five-year drought persists.
State water officials could ease conservation rules that initially called for a 25 percent savings and were later eased to 20 percent.