SoCal’s biggest water supplier to limit outdoor irrigation to one day per week starting June 1
By KCAL/KCBS Staff
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Amid the historic drought gripping the region, Southern California’s largest water provider on Tuesday implemented extraordinary water restrictions beginning in June.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California said it will restrict outdoor watering to just one day a week starting June 1. The district’s board approved the measure Tuesday.
More information is expected to be provided during a Wednesday morning news conference.
The unprecedented decision will affect about 6 million people in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties.
The MWD serves 26 public water agencies and provides water to an estimated 19 million people across Southern California. MWD declared a regional drought emergency this past November. It relies on water from the California River and the State Water Project to supply water to about 40% of Southern California’s population.
MWD said the restriction will apply to its member agencies that are heavily dependent on supplies from the State Water Project, but MWD called on all Southern California residents and businesses to slash water use by 30% to combat drought conditions “unlike anything we’ve experienced before.”
MWD member water agencies that fail to enforce the requirement among its customers will face fines of up to $2,000 per acre-foot of water supplied by MWD that exceeds monthly allocation limits.
The state has already severely restricted supplies from the State Water Project, cutting deliveries to 5% of requested allocations.
Although the MWD’s definition of State Water Project-dependent areas is still in flux, a map provided by the agency indicates the watering restrictions will affect parts of the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys, and western reaches of the county including Woodland Hills, Canoga Park and Calabasas.
The 2022 year has begun with the driest three months in recorded California history. Despite the dire conditions, however, in January, Californians actually increased their water usage by 2.6% compared to the same month in 2020, according to numbers from the State Water Resources Control Board.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month directed MWD and other water suppliers statewide to ramp up conservation efforts by advancing water-shortage contingency plans.
Some local cities and agencies have already enacted water restrictions, including the city of Glendale and the Walnut Valley Water District, which has thousands of customers in Pomona, Diamond Bar and Walnut.
MWD offers a rebate of $2 per square foot for people who replace their grass with water-efficient landscaping. Rebates are also available from other local water agencies.
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