Hot dry summer ahead: ask EBMUD experts about coming drought

Not surprisingly, the East Bay Municipal Utility District declared a stage one drought last week, after California’s driest winter since 1977. Users are being asked to cut water use by 10 percent, as the region heads into summer.

What does that mean for the district’s 1.4 million thirsty customers in much of Contra Costa and Alameda counties? As EBMUD board president Doug Linney said, just before he and his colleagues voted unanimously on the drought declaration, it means customers must “tighten their water belts.”