The board of the Metropolitan Water District in Los Angeles voted Tuesday to cut supplies to downstream agencies — including those in Orange County — by 10 percent, a decision that could lead to water rationing and other restrictions by many cities and water agencies.

With previous recent cuts, the actual reduction amounts to roughly 20 percent since the last fiscal year. The cut will take effect July 1.

“Unfortunately it was necessary,” said Kevin Hunt of the Municipal Water District of Orange County. “It’s a big percentage increase, and it is going to be passed on to people.”

The Municipal Water District has been working with water agencies in Orange County to pass new ordinances that impose restrictions and even penalties for violating them, especially during water emergencies. The work on ordinances was done in anticipation of supply cuts by Metropolitan.

The board also voted to approve a $2 billion budget and a 19.7 percent rate increase for downstream agencies, which includes a $69-per-acre-foot surcharge for court-ordered supply reductions from the California Bay Delta to protect a threatened fish.

That surcharge could be dropped if measures are taken to improve conditions for the fish, the delta smelt, board members representing Orange County said after the vote.

The rate increase will take effect Sept. 1.

Southern California last saw rationing imposed in 1991, when supplies were cut by Metropolitan by 31 percent. The board was considering a 50 percent cut when rains intervened.

Los Angeles, however, had already begun rationing in 1989.

While the supply cut is not as severe this time around, board chairman Timothy F.  Brick said similar measures are likely.

“I do think we’re going to see mandatory conservation steps implemented in many communities of Southern California,” he said after the vote was taken.

He said mandatory conservation, which include penalties for using more than the designated amounts, is more likely than strict rationing.

Larry Dick of the Municipal Water District of Orange County, also a Metropolitan board member, said it was important to members of the Orange County delegation on the board to include the surcharge so they could “sunset” the charge if environmental issues surrounding the endangered fish, the delta smelt, are resolved.

“The delta smelt this past month cost us 70,000 acre feet of water,” Dick said of a supply reduction over a 10-day period for the 19 million people who receive water through Metropolitan.

An acre foot is enough to supply two typical homes for one year.

He also said consumers in Orange County would be unlikely to see such a high increase on their water bills. In north and central county, which relies in part on the deep underground aquifer for drinking water, rate increases would be more likely in the single-digit range, although individual water agencies will decide on rate increases and other measures.

Rate increases could be higher in Southern Orange County, which depends almost entirely on imported water and has no deep aquifer.

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