Parts of Southern California are seeing a record drought, according to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. And in a Water Shortage Emergency declaration released on Tuesday, residents in the drought-stricken areas (including Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, according to Gizmodo) must restrict the amount of days they water their lawn to just once a week, starting June 1st. And if drought conditions don't quickly improve, residents will receive further water restrictions later in the year.
From Gizmodo:
The declaration is the first time in the Metropolitan Water District's 94-year history that its board has issued restrictions like this, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. "We are seeing conditions unlike anything we have seen before," the water district's general manager, Adel Hagekhalil, told the LA Times. "We need serious demand reductions."
"This is a crisis, this is unprecedented. We have never done anything like this before," added Hagekhalil in a press conference on Wednesday.
California is currently experiencing arguably its most severe drought since record keeping began in 1895. …
"I want to just really stress how critical this is," said Hagekhalil. "The amount of water we have available to us now is not going to be enough to carry us through the entire year unless we do something different, unless we take action," he added. If municipalities don't cut their use and abide by the new restrictions, they'll face fines.
Lawn watering accounts for 30% to 70% of individuals' water usage, according to the Metropolitan Water District's general manager. So, the cuts should result in much lower water demand. However, if they don't, Hagekhalil said he's been granted the authority to issue a total ban on outdoor watering starting September 1.
This might be a good time for Southern Californians to take on a DIY summer xeriscaping project.
