Southern California Under Drought Emergency as Extreme Dryness Reaches 3 Years, Metropolitan Water District Says

Since the region has been experiencing extreme dryness for more than three years, Southern California has been declared to be in a drought emergency by Metropolitan Water District, the main water supplier in the country.

All of Southern California has been declared to be in a drought emergency by the supplier, paving the way for early-2019 mandatory water restrictions that could affect 19 million people.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Major population centers such as Los Angeles and San Diego counties receive water from 26 different agencies through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Southern California doesn't get much rain, so the State Water Project, a complicated network of dams, canals, and reservoirs that supplies drinking water for a large portion of state, is used by the district to import about half of its water supply from the Colorado River and also the northern Sierra Nevada.

The past three years have been so dry that water deliveries have fallen to all-time lows. According to US KNews Media, the district earlier this year declared a drought emergency for the organizations that primarily rely on the State Water Project, which serves about 7 million people.

The board decided to extend that proclamation to all Southern California water agencies on Tuesday. They urged organizations to stop importing as much water right away. If the drought persists, the board will decide by the end of April whether to consider making those cuts obligatory.

Gloria D. Gray, the chair of the Metropolitan Water District Board, said that since everyone is affected, Southern Californians who may have felt somewhat shielded from these extreme conditions in the past should no longer feel that way.

Health Concerns Over 5% Water Allocation

State officials recently declared that due to lower reservoir levels, water agencies like the Metropolitan will only receive 5% of the supplies they have requested for the beginning of 2023. If it's necessary for drinking, sanitation, or other health and safety concerns, some agencies may receive a little bit more.

The drought declaration comes as water managers for the Colorado River gather in Las Vegas to talk about growing worries about the river's future following more than 20 years of drought. According to scientists, the West has experienced persistently warmer and drier weather, endangering water supplies. The two biggest reservoirs on the river, Lake Mead in Nevada and Lake Powell in Arizona and Utah, are both about one-quarter full.

Reservoirs in California are all significantly below average for this time of year, despite a recent string of storms that dumped heavy rainfall and snow in the Sierra Nevada as well as Central Valley.

Dave Eggerton, the Association of California Water Agencies' executive director supports the,Metropolitan's choice, AP News reports.

Read also: Author Proposes Melting, Towing Icebergs for Water Supply, Like Norway's $185 Bottle of Luxury Iceberg Water 

Prioritizing Lush Yards and Gardens

Irrigating gardens and yards accounts for up to 75% of all water consumption in Southern California. For the majority of the year, water agencies that rely on imported water from the state have been subject to restrictions, which include limiting lawn watering to just one day per week.

The State Water Resources Control Board reports that since California Governor Gavin Newsom's call for residents and businesses to reduce their water use by 15%, residents have only cut their water use by 5.2%.

The Metropolitan Water District is making investments in what may grow to be the biggest water recycling system in the entire world. The initiative, known as Pure Water, would recycle wastewater rather than dumping it into the ocean, ABC News reports.

Related article: Spread of Drought-Resistant Trees on Grasslands a Big Problem, Here's Why