LOS ANGELES, June 6 (AFP) Jun 07, 2007

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked Los Angeles residents on Wednesday to
cut water use by 10 percent amid a drought of historic proportions.

Less than three inches (eight centimeters) of rain have been recorded in
downtown Los Angeles between January and May, the lowest level of
rainfall since 1877.

The average annual rainfall is 15 inches (38 centimeters) for the Los
Angeles area, home to about 16 million people.

The shortage could become even more acute as the city braces for an
expected hot summer and if the drought persists through next winter,
authorities will be forced to introduce water rationing.

"Los Angeles needs to change course and conserve water to steer clear of
this perfect storm," Villaraigosa said.

Officials in the second-largest US city urged Angelenos to take shorter
showers, fix leaky faucets, water lawns less, stop throwing trash in
toilets, replace old washing machines and use brooms instead of water
hoses to clean sidewalks and driveways.

Water in reserve will meet customer demands this year because last
year's snow pack surpassed the average by about 145 percent, according
to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Metropolitan
Water District.

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