The ongoing drought in California is now well into its fourth year and the crisis is taking a heavy toll on area residents and businesses. Back in April, Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order requiring cities and towns to reduce water consumption by 25 percent or face hefty fines. These restrictions have far-reaching ramifications on industries such as agriculture and food processing which rely on heavy water use. While not as significantly impacted as these sectors, pharmaceutical companies based in California have their own drought-related challenges to contend with. Most notably, the water shortage has made it increasingly difficult for pharmaceutical companies to secure the wastewater discharge permits necessary to manufacture drugs in the state.
