With the announcement of a drought emergency come major concerns about water conservation.
In Panorama City, officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to introduce the Woodman Avenue Stormwater Capture Project, which they say will improve water quality and alleviate local flooding.
The project will capture rainwater in the San Fernando groundwater basin instead of letting it run off to the ocean.
In Camarillo, Congresswoman Julia Brownley hosted a water resources round table, where Ventura County farmers voiced concerns about how the water shortage will affect their livelihoods.
"Rationing will be an important part, I believe, of the solution, clearly," said Brownley. "Each city and the county, they're all deliberating about that at this particular moment in time."
At a water recycling facility in El Segundo, water-efficiency experts also addressed how cities, residents and businesses can conserve water during the drought.
Mayor Bill Fisher says 50 percent of the water used in El Segundo is already recycled.
"We've adopted a water-conservation ordinance that calls for such common sense conservation acts as residences and businesses reacting and immediately responding to even the smallest water leak; prohibiting automatic watering of lawns during daytime hours, 9 to 5, and limiting that duration to 15 minutes or less; limit washing vehicles," said Fisher.
Assemblyman Isadore Hall called for a statewide water bond that would increase water capacity and clean existing water sources in Los Angeles County, reducing need for Northern California water.
Water district officials say Los Angeles should have enough water to make it through the end of the year, but reiterated that water rationing may be needed in the future.
