SAN MARCOS, Calif. — California’s drought conditions are prompting actions geared toward conserving water in northern San Diego County.

The Vallecitos Water District, which serves the northeastern region of the county, already activated its level two water conservation plans. It comes following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order in April, which calls on water suppliers to prepare for a shortage of up to 20%.

“On June 13, I would expect a lot of local agencies to move to a level two drought either by invoking the drought or by invoking the specific water-conserving policy contained in that level two status,” water district spokesperson Chris Robbins said.

While San Diego County on the whole has plenty of water supply due to some creative planning, residents have to pay for it with some of the highest rates in the state.

All state water districts will have to comply with the order.

In San Marcos, residents had only been allowed to water two days a week. That number will now increase.

“For residents, we would want our customers to irrigate only three times per week during the summertime all the way through October 31,” Robbins said.

Under the order, commercial customers are forbidden to use drinking water for any irrigation and, what is considered nonfunctional turf, cannot be watered at all.

“Nonfunctional means it doesn’t have any purpose,” Robbins said. “If people are using it, if they’re playing on it, if they’re sitting on it, then that would be functional turf. But just turf that is looked at at a commercial or industrial property would not supposed to be irrigated.”