LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Friday urged Angelenos to reduce water usage by 15%, as first requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom, amid a severe drought in California and throughout the western United States. 

Speaking from Owens Valley, which has provided water to the Los Angeles Aqueduct since 1913, Garcetti said, "In Los Angeles, conservation is a way of life, because we know that living with limited water resources isn't just a phase — it's the new normal."

"Angelenos have always stepped up when asked to lower their water use, and today, I'm asking them to do their part again to meet this new statewide goal. (The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) has made it easier than ever before for Angelenos to save water, and we're in a better position today because of it," he said.

On Friday, Garcetti highlighted drought resiliency efforts by the LADWP and the city's pledge that by 2035 it will:

• reduce per capita water consumption by 25%;
• source 70% of the city's water locally;
• recycle 100% of the city's wastewater by 2035 for potable use; and
• capture 150,000 acre-feet of stormwater per year by 2035.

The city also pledges to reduce LADWP's purchase of imported water by 50% by 2025.

Angelenos who want help conserving water can take advantage of the city's financial incentive program, including rebates for high-efficiency clothes washers and turf replacements. The city also provides free efficient faucet aerators and shower heads. More information is available at https://bit.ly/3eshDW9.

Newsom called on Californians on July 8 to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% to protect the state's water reserves and maintain water flow for fish and wildlife. 

"The realities of climate change are nowhere more apparent than in the increasingly frequent and severe drought challenges we face in the West and their devastating impacts on our communities, businesses and ecosystems," the governor said. "The entire state is in a drought today, and to meet this urgent challenge we must all pull together and do our part to reduce water use as California continues to build a more climate resilient water system to safeguard the future of our state."

Scaling back urban water consumption by 15% would save as much as 850,000 acre-feet of water over the next year, which is enough to supply more than 1.7 million households with water for a year, according to Newsom's office.