Outdoor watering restrictions in place since last summer for nearly 7 million Southern Californians have been lifted after a series of powerful winter storms swept through the state.
He Southern California Metropolitan Water Districtwhich provides water to 19 million people in six counties, lifted restrictions limiting outdoor watering in some of those communities.
The restrictions came into effect in June. for parts of Southern California that rely on water from the State Water Project, including some people in Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties.
However, this is still not enough to alleviate the drought affecting the state.
The agency’s board voted on Tuesday to roll back the restrictions after a series of winter storms removed the drought conditions in much of California, including parts of Los Angeles County.
In December, the State Department of Water Resources announced that water agencies would receive 5% of the allocations requested from the state. Subsequent winter storms have replenished supplies, and that figure rose to 35% last month.
The MWD said the state’s water supply remains limited and urged residents to conserve.
Southern California’s Metropolitan Water District (MWD), which supplies water to 19 million people in six counties, has lifted restrictions limiting outdoor irrigation in some of those communities.
The restrictions went into effect in June for parts of Southern California that rely on water from the State Water Project, including some people in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties.
California was one of seven states ordered by federal authorities to develop plans to reduce reliance on Colorado River water starting next year.
Snow accumulation in California over the years
“While we appreciate the improved water supply conditions, I would like to inform everyone that our challenges are not over,” MWD Chief Executive Adel Hagekhalil said in a statement.
“We ask everyone to continue to be diligent in conserving water, regardless of the weather. We also continue to face great uncertainties regarding our Colorado River water supplies.”
Most Los Angeles residents are served by LADWD, which allowed watering twice a week, instead of three. Under the city’s most lenient restriction, watering is allowed at odd addresses on Mondays and Fridays, and at even addresses on Thursdays and Sundays.
Residents of the Central Valley say they sometimes have no water because they depend on community wells.
Thirty-six percent of the state is in moderate drought, the least severe of the four drought categories in the weekly report. At the beginning of the hydrological year at the end of September, this figure was 99.76%.
Only 8% of California is experiencing severe drought, a significant improvement from 93% at the start of the water year.
This story first appeared on Telemundo 52’s sister station NBCLA. Click on here read this story in english