Southern California plans to cut water supplies amid severe drought

Severe drought has forced Southern California to reduce water supplies by 15 percent beginning this summer and cities that need more water would have to pay a penalty up to four times the normal price for extra deliveries.

The decision was made Monday by the board committee of the Metropolitan Water District, a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties.

Besides the planned supply cuts, the Metropolitan Water District will also move to raise awareness of water conservation among consumers.

According to the water district, the year 2014 was an historically dry year in California with an estimated 58 percent of the state in "Exceptional Drought Conditions," the worst category possible.

Early this month, California Governor Jerry Brown announced actions that will save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state's drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought-resilient.

Brown issued an executive order calling for a 25 percent reduction in consumer water use. Endi