Los Angeles DWP announces new water restrictions amid California drought

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With Southern California facing a severe drought, Los Angeles residents and businesses will soon be subject to outdoor watering restrictions, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday.

The planned restriction for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers is expected to take effect June 1 after receiving City Council approval. 

FILE: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

The restriction is less severe than a recent decision by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California requiring some customers it supplies to cut watering to once weekly.

Garcetti said Los Angeles didn’t need to be as restrictive as the other water district because of ongoing efforts by its nearly 4 million residents to conserve water.

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"We are using a little bit less water today than we were more than 30 years ago with a million more people," Garcetti said. 

Garcetti still urged homeowners to replace thirsty lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping.

FILE - Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks during a news conference at the 90th Winter Meeting of United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) on January 19, 2022, in Washington, DC.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

While the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is a municipal utility, the Metropolitan Water District is essentially a giant wholesaler that supplies 26 public water agencies that provide water to 19 million people.

The Metropolitan Water District's one-day-a-week watering limitation will affect about 6 million residents and businesses.

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State water authorities were scheduled to hold a briefing about California's drought outlook Tuesday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.