State Reduces Water Allocation to 5% Due to Historically Dry Winter and Low Reservoir Levels

OAK PARK, Calif. - March 21, 2022 - PRLog -- The California Department of Water Resources (CADWR) announced a reduced water allocation to 5% today from the State Water Project (SWP) following a historically dry winter. The new limited allocation may lead to restrictions on outdoor watering as priority must be given to ensuring the health and safety needs of residents are met.

The Conejo-Las Virgenes Regional Drought Partnership--comprised of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD), Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas), and Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD)--continues to plead with customers to take this situation seriously and immediately increase water conservation actions in response to depleted water supplies. January and February 2022 were the driest on record, and with another projected dry March and summer right around the corner, the need for emergency conservation is dire.

Record precipitation events in December 2021 provided hope throughout the State, with the CADWR increasing its SWP allocation to 15%. However, the much-needed reprieve was short-lived, and a record dry winter means less water will now be available to local agencies, particularly the Conejo-Las Virgenes region, which relies almost exclusively on imported water from northern California.

LVMWD, TWSD, and Calleguas call on all customers to further minimize their water usage. This can be accomplished most efficiently outdoors, where up to 70% of all residential water consumption occurs. Replacing thirsty turf with drought-tolerant landscaping, installing drip irrigation systems, checking for leaks, and replacing old watering timers with smart irrigation controllers can provide significant water and money savings.

Conservation rebates can be found at www.socalwatersmart.com.