Severe SoCal Water Restrictions Ordered, Water Shortage Declared

LOS ANGELES, CA — Water officials in Southern California declared a water shortage emergency Tuesday amid the state's worsening drought.

Outdoor watering will be immediately restricted to just one day a week across areas in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California said in a release.

It's an unprecedented move for the region's largest water supplier, and it signals a shift to more-aggressive conservation measures across Southern California.

Residents were also urged to make changes to save water such as removing lawns and replacing them with native plants that require less irrigation.

The restrictions will affect a large swath of the district's 18 million customers across the region.

"We have to make these finite supplies last the entire year," Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil said in a release Tuesday. "If we don’t cut back now, we could be limited to providing only enough water to meet health and human safety needs in these communities."

"That would effectively eliminate all outdoor water use," Hagekhalil said. "Let’s all heed the urgent call for conservation and proactively reduce unnecessary water use."

MWD spokeswoman Rebecca Kimitch told Patch that the district provides water to 18 million customers across Southern California, and more communities could see mandatory water restrictions if they don’t voluntarily reduce water usage this summer.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has encouraged Golden State residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 30 percent, Kimitch said. If residents fail to conserve as the drought continues, more MWD customers could face mandatory restrictions by September, she said.

"If you don’t use your grass, if it is just there to look pretty, please consider instead the beauty of native and California Friendly plants. Not only are they beautiful and save water, they also create important ecosystems for birds and butterflies," said Metropolitan board Chairwoman Gloria D. Gray.

MWD first declared a drought emergency in November and directed agencies to implement water conservation measures. The district serves 26 water agencies, cities, municipal water districts and one county water authority. Water is delivered to people in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.

Golden Staters were once again urged to conserve water this month as the state sinks into its third year of drought after experiencing three of the driest months on record. As of April 1, California's snowpack levels were well below average, and the prospect of more rain was slim.

During the state's annual April 1 Sierra Nevada snowpack survey, officials found that levels were just 38 percent of average. As of Friday, the state had received 15.63 inches of rain, 75 percent of the historical average, according to California Water Watch.

This, coupled with Newsom's January emergency drought declaration, means another summer of water restrictions.

Despite the healthy dosage of snow and rain to Northern California last week, the state is still sinking into drought.

The state emergency regulations direct residents to:

• Turn off decorative water fountains.
• Turn off/pause irrigation system when it's raining and for two days after rain.
• Use an automatic shutoff nozzle on water hoses.
• Use a broom, not water, to clean sidewalks and driveways.
• Give trees just the water they need: avoid overwatering.

READ MORE: CA Imposes New Water Cuts As Drought Intensifies