Arizona cities and other entities could serve nearly 2 million households for a year with the amount of water they plan to voluntarily leave behind in the Colorado River the next three years, but they say they’re foregoing the supply to help preserve the reservoirs’ health.
As California enters a third dry year, the Bay Area’s biggest water agency, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, may soon push forward with strict caps on customer water use, and fines for those who exceed the limit.
The agency, like most water suppliers in the region, has been relying only on modest outdoor watering restrictions, and voluntary conservation, to reduce consumption. But with lackluster savings and a continuing water shortage, the district’s governing board is scheduled to decide next week whether more aggressive rules are necessary.
Water conservation is a way of life in the San Diego region, whether during drought periods or wet years. While the region is in drought like much of the Southwest U.S., San Diego County is not experiencing a water shortage. That’s because the Helix Water District, and the other water utilities serving the region, have worked together for 25 years to conserve water and invest in new water resources.
