Unprecedented water restrictions will limit outdoor watering for roughly 6 million Southern Californians. According to KABC, residents will need to cut their outdoor watering to one day a week as a severe drought continues to plague the state. The Metropolitan Water District declared a water shortage emergency as they navigate drought conditions "unlike anything we've experienced before."
The water supplier detailed which areas will be impacted the most by the new restrictions. They apply to areas of Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties that rely the most on state water supplied through the district. MWD listed the restrictions, which begin on June 1, will affect the following areas:
- Oxnard
- Camarillo
- Simi Valley
- Thousand Oaks
- La Virgenes
- Calabasas
- Woodland Hills
- Chatsworth
- Canoga Park
- Reseda
- Northridge
- San Fernando
- Van Nuys
- Los Angeles
- Beverly Hills
- Hollywood
- Santa Monica
- El Monte
- West Covina
- Monrovia
- La Verne
- Claremont
- Chino
- Upland
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Fontana
According to KABC, those who repeatedly violate the restrictions will face hefty fines. The first offense comes with a warning and then goes all the way up to the fifth offense, which is $10 extra per unit of water used. Those who ignore warnings and fines could even see their water rationed.
Governor Gavin Newsom has also asked residents across the state to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 15% but residents have been slow to meet this goal.