CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : VENTURA : City Moves to Ban New Water Hookups

The city of Ventura has tentatively approved a strict water conservation measure, one of the latest communities to take such action because of the statewide drought. The measure, which will get a second council vote next week, includes a ban on new water service hookups. The drought has caused a number of communities in the hardest-hit Central Coast region to adopt drastic water-saving measures. And a state water official warned that the Los Angeles area may soon have to consider such restrictions. Last week, Santa Barbara became the first city in the state to make lawn watering illegal.