In the desert town of Palm Springs, famous for its golf courses and houses with pools and perfect lawns, residents each use on average 201 gallons (760 liters) of water per day. But that will soon change.

Eleven of the last 16 years in the state have been considered dry, with the last three representing extreme conditions. Meanwhile, the demand for water has drastically increased as the state’s population and agricultural industry have grown alongside an increased presence of hydraulic fracturing.

Under new plans announced by Governor Jerry Brown, California's cities and towns would be required to cut their water usage by up to 35 percent or face steep fines in the state's first-ever mandatory cutbacks in urban water use. Communities, such as Palm Springs, where residential customers use more than 165 gallons of water per person per day would have to cut back by 35 percent.

California's drought has thrust seawater desalination into the spotlight as San Diego County, Santa Barbara and other cities push ahead with treatment plants that will soon turn the Pacific Ocean into a source of drinking water.