Jerry Brown: 'I Didn't Take a Shower This Morning'

California Gov. Jerry Brown is attempting to implement the state’s first-ever mandatory water cutbacks, among voluntary measures, and he is leading by example: “I didn’t take a shower this morning,” he told reporters in San Jose last week.

Brown also said that he has cut back on drinking water, though he continues to enjoy coffee. “We’ve installed a low-flow system and we’re using it quite carefully and quite sparingly,” he said, according to reports from the meeting.

Some of Brown’s proposed cutbacks have met legal resistance, as they allegedly violate a state constitutional provision that prevents residents from being charged more for a service than it costs to provide. But many are taking his message to heart.

Many residents are allowing their lawns to go brown–either painting them, or replacing them with artificial grass. This spring, water consumption was down across the state. Still, much more will need to be done than skipping a few showers.