Thanks to Rainfall, No Water-Use Restrictions For Now

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EMBUD) is anticipating that it will not have to impose any drought-related water-use restrictions this year, thanks to heavy rainfall in March and April, district officials said this week.

The district is still anticipating a dry year, and by November expects to fall short of where its water supply totals were last year. However, precipitation and snowpack totals are looking much better today than they did on March 13, when they were lower than any recorded in the district's 89-year history, EBMUD officials said.

The final two weeks in March brought more rain to the East Bay than it had in the previous eight months combined, according to the district. However, while a water shortage is not imminent, district officials are still encouraging residents to use water wisely, as future weather patterns are unpredictable.

- Bay City News Service