Emergency Drought Restrictions in Effect for Six Million
Southern Californians
On June 1, local water providers serving about one-third of Southern California began mandating emergency drought restrictions to stretch the region’s severely limited water supplies through 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.
Metropolitan’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. SWP deliveries to Southern California are at a record low, a result of limited snowpack and reservoirs depleted by three years of drought.
“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.”
As part of our conservation campaign, Metropolitan produced a commercial in-house that has been airing in Southern California. View the 30-second commercial and the 15-second version, linked above.
State Water Resources Control Board Adopts Emergency
Conservation Regulations
The State Water Resources Control Board has adopted emergency conservation regulations in response to the drought, including a ban on using potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf in commercial, industrial and institutional sectors. The emergency regulation began June 10. Read our statement.
In addition, on June 7 the state board released the latest statewide conservation numbers showing a 17.6 percent increase in water use statewide. Read our full statement.
“These are not the numbers we wanted to see, and they are not the numbers we need to see," said Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil. "We are in an unprecedented situation, where our water supplies from the State Water Project are so limited by drought and climate change that they do not meet demands. Southern Californians must decrease their water use. I know we can do it."
Metropolitan Responds to Worsening Conditions on the Colorado River
U.S Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton provided testimony on June 14 before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on the severity of the Colorado River drought and the need for short- and long-term drought solutions across the West. Watch the hearing, linked right.
“We must do more to respond to the decades-long drought that continues to stress our infrastructure, causing storage levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell to plummet, reducing the river’s water supply reliability and threatening the loss of power generation," General Manager Adel Hagekhalil said. "We remain committed to pulling together with the seven Basin states, federal government, tribal nations and Mexico to address this crisis and promote long-term sustainability of this shared water source that is vital to our communities, farms and environment." Read the full statement.
Regional Recycled Water Program Works Toward Regulatory Approval
The Regional Recycled Water Program's Independent Scientific Advisory Panel has released additional reports providing an objective review of technical, scientific, regulatory, and public health aspects of the demonstration project. These results will be used to gain regulatory approval of membrane bioreactors in a potable reuse treatment process. View the ISAP reports.
