Mexico City reduces water service as reserves dip

Millions of Mexico City area residents were without water today under a new conservation program that shut down a main pipeline after reserves dropped to their lowest levels in 16 years.

The Mexico City government and the National Water Commission will interrupt service for millions for three days every month until May, when the rainy season begins.

Mexico City's government says the plan will affect more than 2 million residents - from those living in million-dollar mansions to cement hovels - within its city limits.

Another 13 cities in the metro area of 20 million will see service reduced, the National Water Commission said, though it didn't how many residents would be affected.

To prepare for the three-day shutdown, which ends Tuesday, residents filled underground cisterns, saved water in buckets to bathe and were flushing toilets and doing the wash only when necessary.

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And you thought the drought around here was bad?