SACRAMENTO >> With record-breaking heat throughout much of the State in June, Californians still managed to conserve water, reducing water use by 27.3 percent and exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25 percent mandate in the first month that the new emergency conservation regulation was in effect.
“Californians understand the severity of the drought and they are taking action, as shown by the numbers released today,” said Felicia Marcus, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “We didn’t know if the positive showing in May was due in part to cooler temperatures. This report shows that residents knew they had to keep conserving even during the summer heat and they kept the sprinklers off more than they would in a normal year. That’s the right attitude as we head into August and September heat—in the drought of the century with no certain end date.”
Despite being the hottest June on record, California’s urban water suppliers exceeded the statewide conservation goal, saving 59.4 billion gallons (182,151 acre-feet), as compared to the same time in 2013. June conservation efforts put the State on track to achieve the 1.2 million acre‑feet savings goal by February 2016, as called for by the Governor in his April 1 Executive Order.
Water suppliers have made significant Investments in their education and outreach programs to communicate the need to conserve to their customers. June’s enforcement statistics highlight the growing awareness of how water is used locally as a result of these programs. Water suppliers reported that their compliance and enforcement programs saw an almost two-fold increase in the number of complaints of water waste which resulted in a big jump in reported penalties.
Monthly water use reports are required by the emergency water conservation regulation, and are provided to the State Water Board by urban water suppliers. Urban water suppliers are expected to meet, or exceed, their individual conservation standard starting in June and continuing through February 2016. The year 2013 serves as the baseline for determining water savings statewide. The current report is posted here.
June Highlights:
The percent of water saved by the State’s large urban water agency suppliers decreased from 29.1 percent in May to 27.3 percent in June, in same-month water use comparisons of 2015 to 2013. June 2015 was the warmest June on record.
The amount of water saved in June 2015 (59.4 billion gallons) is six times more than the amount of water saved during the same month in 2014 (9.6 billion gallons), when the State’s voluntary 20 percent conservation goal was in effect.
The June 2015 savings are 15 percent of the statewide savings goal of 1.2 million acre‑feet of water needed by February 2016.
265 water suppliers, serving 27.2 million people met or exceeded their conservation standard. Almost 40 percent of all urban water suppliers reduced their water use by 30 percent or more.
“In normal years, water use rises dramatically in the hot summer months. But this year, during the hottest June on record, Californians proved that they have the ingenuity and commitment to meet this challenge,” said Marcus. “Agencies have stepped up to the plate to engage with their customers and it shows. The public knows how bad the drought is, and agencies need to help them know what to do. Letting lawns go golden, taking shorter showers, and other actions can pay off in greater urban water security in the event of more dry years, but, at the same time, we need to be clear that trees should be watered.”
Of the 405 water suppliers reporting, 265 suppliers (65 percent) met, or were within one percent of, their conservation standard; 53 suppliers (13 percent) are between one and five percent of meeting their conservation standard; and 71 suppliers (18 percent) are between five and 15 percent of meeting their conservation standard.
However, there are 16 suppliers (four percent) that are more than 15 percent from meeting their conservation standard.
