water restrictions

A major water agency in the East Bay says it is easing water use restrictions with the region no longer in a drought. Bob Redell reports.

A major water agency in the East Bay says it is easing water use restrictions with the region no longer in a drought.

The city of Mountain View declared a stage 2 water emergency Tuesday, restricting outdoor irrigation for residents to two days a week, city officials said.

Southern California’s gigantic water supplier took the unprecedented step Tuesday of requiring about 6 million people to cut their outdoor watering to one day a week as drought continues to plague the state.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District Board voted to move to a stage two emergency drought level, which makes it mandatory to cut water use by 10% district-wide. It also creates fines for the area’s biggest water wasters.

Starting Tuesday night, East Bay residents will want to keep a close eye on their water use. The district has moved to a stage two emergency drought level, which makes some restrictions mandatory and creates fines for big water wasters. Sharon Katsuda reports.

While April’s rain showers certainly helped bring up Bay Area rainfall totals, they won’t be enough to stave off the state’s third year of drought, and that means round of strict city-level restrictions.

As California heads into a third dry year, water districts are moving to protect water reserves.

NBC Bay Area’s Alyssa Goard breaks down what’s on the table in the East Bay when it comes to water conservation.