It’s time for Topangans to cut back on water use. California is now in the throes of a 1,200-year drought emergency and climate change has taken hold, forcing the Metropolitan Water District to order drastic water restrictions that began June 1. “In late March, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order calling for local water agencies to reduce water usage and tighten conservation, but he did not order any mandatory statewide cutbacks,� the Los Angeles Times reported. “Less than a month later, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared a water shortage emergency and announced new restrictions.� That means more than six million residents in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura counties are affected by the new water conservation methods, including Topanga and Malibu. Water Sources Communities throughout Southern California receive water from different sources—some from the hard-hit State Water Project, which transports water southward from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta State Water Project, and some from the Colorado River Aqueducts. The West Basin Municipal Water District supplies Colorado River Aqueduct water to areas including Culver City, El Segundo, Inglewood, Malibu, Palos Verdes Estates and Topanga. A statement from West Basin explains, “As an urban water supplier, the West Basin Municipal Water District prepares an Urban Water Management Plan every five years. This plan demonstrates West Basin’s ability to provide reliable water supplies for the next 25 years to the region and service area, which spans from Malibu to Palos Verdes. In addition, the West Basin Board approved a Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) that describes the actions to ensure reliability during various water shortage situations.� Now, West Basin is calling for adopting the newest watering limits across its service areas. “While Topanga and Malibu both receive water from the Colorado River Aqueduct system, that does not mean the West Basin service area is insulated or immune from the impacts of the drought. The Colorado River is also severely stressed as we begin the dry months of summer, which only compounds our region’s need to save water,� said West Basin Municipal Water District Director Scott Houston, who represents the Division IV areas of Malibu and Topanga. “This is a critical time for each of us to do our part to conserve and make permanent water-saving changes that will sustain us through this drought and the uncertainty of our hydrological future. West Basin offers a number of rebate programs, educational materials, and workshops to assist our residents and businesses to save water and make a meaningful impact during this drought.� For more information and West Basin’s water conservation efforts, go to westbasin.org.