With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
What To Know About Those New Water Restrictions Facing 6 Million Southern Californians
The water is visibly low at Lake Oroville, the second largest reservoir in the state of California.
(
Courtesy California Department of Water Resources
/
California Department of Water Resources
)
After the driest winter ever recorded, water officials say we don’t have enough water to meet summertime demand in L.A. and other southern California cities.
The climate crisis has worsened a three-year drought that’s left reservoirs at record-low levels. So Southern California water officials are taking what they say is an "unprecedented" step: declaring a water shortage emergency and restricting outdoor water use to just once a week, or requiring water agencies to use other strategies to save the same amount. This will apply in more than 80 cities in L.A., San Bernardino and Ventura counties, affecting six million people.
“We know what this means to communities. We know what we are requiring here, but we're facing a challenge,” said Adel Hagekhalil, the general manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. “And now we need to prioritize between watering our lawns or having water for our children and grandchildren and livelihood and health.”
The restrictions take effect June 1. Specific restrictions will be determined by each local water agency and you could be fined for going over water limits—and water use tends to go up in the summer.
Support for LAist comes from
The local water agencies that will enforce the new restrictions are:
- Calleguas Municipal Water District
- Inland Empire Utilities Agency
- Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Three Valleys Municipal Water District
- Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.
They could face up to $2,000 in fines from the Municipal Water District of Southern California if they don’t comply.
These agencies will start restricting outdoor watering for homes and businesses to one day a week, or require other ways to cut usage to a new monthly allocation limit.
If you live in one of the cities listed below, you need to check the specific restrictions for your area with your local water agency.
Those restrictions could include:
- water schedules for certain days of the week
- limiting certain kinds of outdoor water use, and more
One exception: you’ll still be able to water trees and other shade plants by hand.
Support for LAist comes from
If you live in one of these cities, you'll need to check with your local water agency about new outdoor watering restrictions. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared a Water Shortage Emergency amid unprecedented drought.
(
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
/
LAist
)
Some water agencies already have restrictions in place: Las Virgenes Municipal Water District has halved its customers’ water budgets, with fines for violations. LADWP already restricts watering to certain days a week.
The restrictions apply to areas that heavily depend on water from the State Water Project, a 705-mile system of canals, pipelines, and reservoirs that delivers drinking water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.
Watering lawns makes up as much as 70% of the average household’s water consumption, said Hagekhalil. Consumers will need to cut that use by nearly half, he said.
“This is the new reality, this is the changing climate,” Hagekhalil said.
The average person in southern California uses 125 gallons of water per day—and that needs to be cut to 80 gallons per day, said Deven Upadhyay, the Metropolitan Water District’s chief operating officer.
“This is a crisis unlike anything that we've seen before,” said Upadhyay. “We really have a little more than half of the water that we need to be able to make it through the summertime and into the end of the year under normal demands. And that's why normal will not work.”
Support for LAist comes from
Parks and golf courses will also have watering restrictions, though they’re more flexible since most of those types of spaces already use recycled water, Hagekhalil said.
Officials say if enough water isn’t saved, they may prohibit all outdoor watering as soon as September 1.
You can learn more about how to save water and find out about rebates and other incentives for water-saving strategies at BeWaterWise.com. Your local water agency should also have information on rebates and other water-saving programs.
Map of areas that depend on the State Water Project. The Metropolitan Water District its member agencies in the State Water Project-dependent areas to restrict outdoor watering to just one day a week, or the equivalent.
(
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
/
LAist
)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
Best of LAist