Multiple Southern California counties will have water restrictions as the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) declared a water shortage emergency on Tuesday.

This is the first time the MWD of Southern California has declared such an emergency and it is expected to affect at lest 6 million residents throughout Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties.

“Metropolitan’s board declared a Water Shortage Emergency and for the first time ever, implemented an Emergency Water Conservation Program,” SoCal MWD said in a statement posted to Twitter. “The past three years are projected to be the driest in our state’s history, leading to drought conditions unlike anything we’ve experienced before.”

The district’s water supply coming from Northern California is “severely limited” according to the MWD and some SoCal residents, as well as businesses, will be asked to conserve water up to 30%.

The MWD also said the affected areas of the emergency will be limited to watering their grass to once a week, starting June 1.

While the specific affected areas were not mentioned by the MWD during its announcement, it will be holding a media briefing on Wednesday morning with more details.

Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the California drought on April 19, saying California experienced its driest January, February and March months in history this year.

Newsom added that the state will be asking the state legislature to approve nearly $1 billion to invest into the drought.

“We came into this drought more prepared than ever,” Newsom said. “Conservation is becoming increasingly a way of life. In fact, 16% lower per capita consumption coming into this drought, compared to the last drought.”

The Southern California MWD covers 26 cities in six counties and 19 million residents.

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