California remains in an ongoing and intensifying drought driven by heat, low snowpack, and shifting weather patterns. During drought, communities lean heavily on groundwater, which is being overdrawn, causing land subsidence and long-term damage. Conservation—through less use, recycling, smarter landscaping, rainwater catchment, and policy-based water budgets—is both essential and effective. It protects water supplies, saves energy, supports ecosystems, and buys time to adapt to the increasingly unpredictable climate.