The State - News from March 24, 1988

Officials representing an area east of San Francisco have declared a water shortage emergency and are warning they may ration water to 1.1 million customers for the first time in a decade. If a voluntary conservation plan approved by the East Bay Municipal Utility District fails, the agency may impose water restrictions of up to 25% on homes and businesses in Alameda and Contra Costa counties from May through September. Officials said rationing under consideration includes refusing water hookups to new housing developments, restricting vehicle washing, swimming pools would not be allowed to be filled after a certain date and lawns could be watered just two days a week. The measures would be the most severe since the 1977 drought, when customers were charged up to 10 times the normal rate for excessive water use, the district said. Studies show runoff from the Mokelumne River, the district’s major water source, is estimated at 24% of normal.