California’s largest water wholesaler announced this week it would begin rationing the water it allocates to 26 cities and local water agencies around Southern California.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California made the announcement in the face of record-breaking drought and an order from Gov. Jerry Brown for urban water users to reduce their water consumption by 25 percent.
The cuts would take effect July 1 and were scheduled even before the governor made his announcement earlier this month.
Under the proposed plan, the water district would reduce the amount of water from Northern California and the Colorado River it supplies to its member agencies.
Rationing may be tighter than in years past, but the district has had to limit water allocations in three of the past six years, according to a Met spokeswoman.
MWD has met customer needs in years past by drawing down supplies stored in its reserves. But water officials say that supply is now precariously close to reaching the minimum it needs for emergency water uses as California’s drought reaches into its fourth year.
Board members are scheduled to vote on the matter in an upcoming regular meeting April 14.