Local water providers serving about one-third of Southern California will begin mandating emergency drought restrictions today to stretch the region’s severely limited water supplies until the end of the year.
The water-saving restrictions affect dozens of cities and communities in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties – home to about 6 million Southern Californians. Restrictions vary by city, but largely consist of limiting outdoor watering to one or two days a week or implementing water budgets for residents (see details on restrictions below).
Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors adopted the Emergency Water Conservation Program in April, requiring member agencies that depend on water from the State Water Project to implement one-day-a-week watering restrictions, or live within volumetric limits, starting June 1. SWP deliveries to Southern California are at a record low, a result of limited snowpack and reservoirs depleted by three years of drought.
“People need to take these restrictions seriously. There is not enough SWP water coming from Northern California this year to meet normal demands. So we must do everything we can to lower our use and stretch this limited supply,” Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil said. “If residents and businesses don’t respond immediately, we’ll have to take even stronger action.”
While the emergency is particularly acute in SWP-dependent communities, all Southern Californians have been called on to conserve by 20-30 percent under an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Metropolitan has been working in partnership with its member agencies since last year to provide access to Colorado River water to as many Southern California communities as possible. Some communities also have switched to groundwater and other local supplies. Still, six of Metropolitan’s member agencies rely on water from the State Water Project to meet demands – 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, and Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.
Agencies that don’t enforce the one-day-a-week watering restrictions or exceed their volumetric limits face financial penalties from Metropolitan.
Metropolitan is closely tracking water use across these affected agencies. If use doesn’t drop enough in the coming months, or if conditions worsen, a complete ban on outdoor watering could be implemented in September.
“Our success depends on us working together to overcome this unprecedented challenge,” Metropolitan board chairwoman Gloria D. Gray said. “I want to thank our member agencies for their partnership to get us all through this historic drought.”
Residents and businesses can find water-saving tips, classes and rebates at bewaterwise.com.
The following is a breakdown of the actions that have been put in place for the SWP-dependent agencies to meet Metropolitan’s emergency water-saving restrictions. Metropolitan will continue reviewing the actions to determine their compliance with its program:
Emergency Water Conservation Program overview
- Affected member agencies must either implement one-day-a-week watering restrictions or live within volumetric limits set by Metropolitan
- Local agencies may allow exemptions for hand watering of trees to maintain the natural urban canopy.
- Map of affected communities
- List of affected communities
Calleguas Municipal Water District
- One-day-a-week watering
- As a water wholesaler, Calleguas requires all water agencies within its service area to adopt one-day-a-week watering restrictions unless they can eliminate the use of Metropolitan supplies. Affected retail agencies can be found here. Check with local water providers for specific watering restrictions and limitations.
- More information
- Press Contact: Dan Drugan, 818-515-6461, [email protected]
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
- Volumetric water limit from Metropolitan
- As a water wholesaler, IEUA will deliver its allocated water supplies to its customer agencies (retail water providers) based on historical water usage to achieve water savings. All of these retail water providers have implemented measures to reduce water use, some of which include restrictions on outdoor watering, filling or refilling swimming pools, and washing cars at home. Check with local water providers for specific restrictions and limitations.
- More information
- Press Contact: Andréa Carruthers, 909-993-1935, [email protected]
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
- One-day-a-week watering
- Even addresses are restricted to watering on Tuesdays; odd addresses can only water on Thursdays. Watering is limited to up to eight minutes per irrigation station. In addition, outdoor watering budgets have been reduced by 50 percent.
- More information
- Press Contact: Mike McNutt, [email protected]
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Two-days-a-week watering (Volumetric limit from Metropolitan)
- Odd addresses are restricted to watering Mondays and Fridays; even addresses on Thursdays and Sundays, before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Watering with sprinklers is limited to 8 minutes per station per watering day for non-conserving nozzle sprinkler systems (typical residential system), or two 15-minute cycles per watering day for conserving nozzle sprinkler systems.
- More information
- Press Contact: 213-367-1323
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
- One-day-a-week watering
- The restriction applies to Three Valleys’ retail agencies serving La Verne and Claremont that are receiving SWP supplies. The City of La Verne has restricted watering to no more than 8 minutes per watering station on Tuesdays for even-numbered addresses and Thursdays for odd-numbered addresses. In Claremont, Golden State Water Company has also restricted watering to one day per week, with watering allowed for even-numbered addresses on Mondays and odd-numbered addresses on Wednesdays.
- More information
- Press Contact: Matthew Litchfield, 909-621-5568, [email protected]
Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
- Two-days-a-week watering (Volumetric limit from Metropolitan)
- The restrictions apply to Upper District’s 18 cities and 26 water retailers in the San Gabriel Valley and includes a requirement that agencies implement time restrictions for outdoor watering. Affected retail agencies can be found here. Check with local water providers for specific watering restrictions and limitations.
- More information
- Press Contact: Patty Cortez, 626-443-2297, [email protected]