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"Faced with one of the state's worst droughts on record, some Californians have taken extreme measures to force their neighbors to use less water: publicly shaming them on social media, using the hashtag #DroughtShaming. \nThe trend does not have the backing of water authorities, however. State officials told Mashable they would much rather residents anonymously report each other to their local water board.\nSee also: California Drought Causes Largest Water Loss in State History\nLast week, the California Water Resources Control Board announced an unprecedented emergency regulation to crack down on excessive outdoor water use: For at least the next 270 days, residents would be subject to $500-per-day fines for washing down driveways and sidewalks, watering lawns and other landscapes, or turning on outdoor fountains (unless the water is recirculated). \nThat didn't stop some residents from overusing water outdoors. Los Angeles resident Kirsten Gerdes reported her neighbor to the LA Department of Water and Power for leaving a hose running on the lawn for three hours on Monday, and tweeted about it:\n\nI'm not sure why-I'm usually no snitch-but reporting my neighbor's #waterwaste to Pomona DWP was strangely satisfying. #droughtshaming\n\u2014 Kirsten Gerdes (@Kirst2Wander) July 21, 2014\n\n\nJust got a call from DWP. Snitchin' is for real. Apparently my neighbor's violation was \"particularly ridiculous.\" #droughtshaming\n\u2014 Kirsten Gerdes (@Kirst2Wander) July 22, 2014\n\nThat doesn't quite work for the authorities, though.\n\"We certainly do not encourage social media shaming,\" said Mark Madison, general manager of the Elk Grove Water District near Sacramento. \nSouthern California officials agree. \n\"We would rather people just go ahead and call us,\u201D said Michelle Vargas, a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) spokeswoman. Los Angeles residents can email or call a hotline to report water waste, but the department won't investigate social media postings. \nThis graph shows how the hashtag's popularity has spiked since the introduction of the fines. \n\nImage:  Topsy AnalyticsThis isn't the first water shortage that has used the hashtag #DroughtShaming, but it began bubbling up after CBS ran a story about neighbors reporting on one another earlier this month.\n\nWay to hose down your entire sidewalk... Twice. #droughtshaming #cityofsouthgate pic.twitter.com/tYxykkwqPk\n\u2014 mikeyb4 (@MikeyBarnumJr) July 18, 2014\n\n\nNeighbor has the greenest lawn and dirt free gutter since she waters EVERY SINGLE DAY. #droughtshaming #California pic.twitter.com/kGre1ktcKi\n\u2014 R. R. Rogan (@BelleTraveler) July 23, 2014\n\n\nIt's truly sickening seeing all the green lawns in Atherton and Menlo Park. #droughtshaming\n\u2014 Will (@willthethrill70) July 17, 2014\n\n\n1901 glyndon ave venice - FIX YOUR BROKEN SPRINKLER! #droughtshaming\n\u2014 Chris Nee (@chrisdocnee) July 24, 2014\n\n\nSevere drought in CA. My college running sprinklers this morning. Dry fields just an hour away but hey we got green grass. #droughtshaming\n\u2014 Kate Weber (@k8simply) July 17, 2014\n\nKate Weber, who teaches at the Monterey Peninsula College, said the school told her its warranty with the landscaping company required the school to water the grass periodically. \nSome 80% of California's water goes to agriculture, so the scarcity has hit the agriculture sector particularly hard \u2014 forcing bee keepers to feed their charges artificial nectar. \nA UC Davis report estimated that the drought has cost the industry $1.5 billion, and will result in the loss of 70,000 seasonal agricultural jobs. State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus said it was \"the worst drought impact that we or our grandparents have ever seen.\"\nSix months ago, Gov. Brown called for Californians to reduce their water usage by 20%. Since then, usage has decreased just 5%, and the San Jose Mercury News reported that coastal Southern California's water use this May was 8% higher than in the previous three Mays, according to a State Water Resources Control Board survey.  \nSouthern California's drought preparedness and plentiful stored water has paradoxically increased usage, per the AP, because residents believe there is plenty of water available. \nMadelyn Glickfeld, director of the UCLA Water Resources Working Group, told state regulators that because Southern California still has enough water and parks are green, residents haven't directly experienced the drought. The improved economy and summer heat have driven water consumption, water managers in the southern counties of Santa Ana and San Juan Capistrano told the Associated Press. \nEarlier this month, Marcus told the New York Times that it is especially difficult to convince urbanites to save water, because they don't see the barren fields or cracked dry reservoirs. \nCities have encouraged residents to anonymously report their neighbors to their local water agencies by calling hotlines (those numbers vary by district), rather than using a hashtag online. The Sacramento authorities have received 10,000 calls this year from residents concerned about their neighbors' water usage.\nHave something to add to this story? 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<http://mashable.com/2014/07/24/droughtshaming-california/>