Although the Orange County-Los Angeles area has sufficient water supplies for this year, the Metropolitan Water District issued a “water supply alert” and called for voluntary reductions by the consumers in 26 local water agencies served by the district.
That reduction could help forestall further water savings moves, including restricting supplies to the 26 local water agencies issuing fines for excessive use.
The MWD distributes water from the Colorado River and northern California. The alert comes a day after the federal government declared a first-ever water shortage in the Colorado River, mandating an 18% reduction of the river water for Arizona and 7% for Nevada — as well as reductions for Mexico — beginning Jan. 1. Other states could be added if the water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell continue to drop. Mead is 35% full, its lowest level since the Hoover Dam was completed and filled in 1936. Lake Powell, upriver of Lake Mead, is only 32% full, also a record low.
Martin Drisckol of the OC Register has the complete story.
‘Water supply alert’ issued for Southern California in response to drought
