California Cracking Down On Water Use As State Sees Another Year Of Severe Dryness

California is cracking down on water use as the state breaks a record for its driest year.

Don’t leave that water running for too long if you’re a California resident, as the state is implementing restrictions around how long you can use your water. On Wednesday, six million Southern California residents and businesses were given new restrictions for water use, including limiting yard watering to one to two days per week. This comes after the state enters its third year of intense drought.

“People need to take these restrictions seriously,” said Adel Hagekhalil, general manager at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. “So we must do everything we can to lower our use and stretch this limited supply. If residents and businesses don’t respond immediately, we’ll have to take even stronger action.”

MWD says the restrictions were put in place to “reduce non-essential water use and preserve available supply for the greatest public benefit.”

According to WFUV, most of the water companies in the state have been affected by the drought, including Los Angeles Department of Water, Three Valleys Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and more.

If you violate the restrictions, you could be fined up to $2,000. WFUV reports the program will end on June 30, 2023.