California lifts mandatory water restrictions after record snow

Mar 16, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer)

Thanks to a boost in reservoirs from a series of winter storms, California is now lifting its mandatory water restrictions for nearly 7 million people across Southern California. Officials at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California decided to end the emergency conservation mandate that’s been in place since June 2022.

Officials cited improvements in the water supply for reasoning to lift the 10-month restrictions. The state received its eleventh atmospheric river of the season this week.

While the end to water restrictions is welcome news, residents are still recovering in the aftermath of storm after storm. California had been enduring its driest three-year period on record before one of its wettest winters. Some Southern California areas received as much as three feet of rainfall, which eased the area’s drought concerns.

Tags: California, Drought, Water shortages

KARAH RUCKER: THANKS TO A BOOST IN RESERVOIRS FROM A DOWNPOUR OF WINTER STORMS, CALIFORNIA IS NOW LIFTING ITS MANDATORY WATER RESTRICTIONS FOR NEARLY 7 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

OFFICIALS AT THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DECIDED TO END THE EMERGENCY CONSERVATION MANDATE THAT’S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE JUNE OF LAST YEAR.

OFFICIALS CITED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WATER SUPPLY FOR REASONING TO LIFT THE 10 MONTH RESTRICTIONS.

THE STATE RECEIVED ITS ELEVENTH ATMOSPHERIC RIVER OF THE SEASON THIS WEEK.

WHILE THE END TO WATER RESTRICTIONS IS WELCOMING NEWS – RESIDENTS ARE STILL RECOVERING IN THE AFTERMATH OF STORM AFTER STORM.

CALIFORNIA HAD BEEN SUFFERING ITS DRIEST THREE-YEAR PERIOD ON RECORD BEFORE ONE OF ITS WETTEST WINTERS – SOME SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREAS RECEIVING AS MUCH AS THREE FEET OF RAINFALL – EASED THE AREA’S DROUGHT CONCERNS.