Major Policy Shift By SoCal Water District Signals Receding Drought

In a potential sign the drought is easing, the massive water wholesaler in Southern California is no longer planning to limit its regional water deliveries.

“Effective immediately, the Southland cities and water districts that make purchases from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California [MWD] will no longer be subjected to so-called allocations or the punitive surcharges that come with exceeding them,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

“The less stringent conditions adopted by MWD’s board... offer the latest signal that California’s multiyear drought is easing,” the report said.

MWD Board Chairman Randy Record weighed in with a statement thanking consumers for using less water.

“We join our member agencies and retailers throughout the region in thanking consumers for their continued water-saving efforts in response to the record drought. The fact is that we would not be taking this action today were it not for the public’s support and diligence,” he said.

But he added a caveat: Californians needs to continue conserving water.

“Not only will continued conservation be necessary to replenish and maintain our storage reserves, sustaining wise water use remains as essential as ever. Our long-term reliability plans revolve around the need to continue lowering demands through water use efficiencies,” he said.

The other major sign of improving drought conditions came from the top this month when Governor Jerry Brown and chief water regulators announced a revised plan for addressing the water crisis. They moved to “give communities more of a say in deciding how much water they must save,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

But they also decided to make some conservation policies permanent. As the Times put it: “Don’t start hosing down sidewalks.”

Brown released a statement urging Californians to see drought as the new normal.

“Californians stepped up during this drought and saved more water than ever before. But now we know that drought is becoming a regular occurrence and water conservation must be a part of our everyday life,” he said.

Only 5 percent of the state is completely rid of drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.