An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management

This bill creates a new drought management task force within the state to coordinate efforts for maintaining adequate water supplies during dry periods. The task force will include representatives from various state agencies, professional organizations, and public health experts to assess conditions and recommend drought levels and responses. It also establishes a requirement for a statewide drought management plan that must be reviewed every five years and updated at least every ten years. Additionally, the bill empowers the secretary to enforce uniform water conservation measures, such as limiting nonessential outdoor water use, across all users in affected regions. Local cities and towns are required to fully enforce these conservation restrictions issued by the state secretary.