The Metropolitan Water District board reiterated its call for conservation Tuesday by issuing a Water Supply Alert throughout Southern California. Last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought, warning that the state's water supply was falling dangerously low because of below-average rainfall and court-ordered water restrictions in Northern California aimed at protecting endangered fish.
The water district, which serves about 19 million people, has used nearly half of its dry-year reserves over the last couple of years, withdrawing supplies from surface and groundwater storage to meet current water demands, said Bob Muir, a district spokesman.
