SACRAMENTO – Statewide urban water use in May of 2022, was 3.1% lower than in May 2020, and preliminary data from June 2022 representing 30% of the state’s population, shows water savings of 7.7% for June 2022 compared to June 2020 according to new data released by the California State Water Resources Control Board.
This increase in conservation reverses the trend we saw in March and April, when water use spiked at the conclusion of what was the driest January, February and March on record dating back over 100 years. While the state is heading in the right direction, state officials noted that every Californian and business needs to do more to conserve water.
Although that marks a significant improvement from earlier this year — urban residents’ water use spiked by nearly 19% in March and almost 18% in April compared to the same months in 2020 — it still falls far short of Gov. Newsom’s entreaty for Californians to cut water use by 15%. And drought conditions are worsening: In a move described as “in many ways unprecedented,” state officials last week ordered even more water users in the vast Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed to stop pumping from rivers and streams.
So far, weather and precipitation have been determining California’s water use instead of a collective drive to conserve. Many Californians turned on irrigation systems earlier this year in response to historically hot and dry conditions, increasing water use. Officials added that California must continue to make up lost ground from past months to meet the 15% goal; doing so will require more aggressive conservation actions on everyone’s part.
Preliminary June outlook
In May, Gov. Newsom met with the state’s largest urban water suppliers to urge them to take more aggressive actions while warning that the state might be forced to enact mandatory restrictions if there is no significant progress on water conservation in the summer months. It appears the governor’s message is being heard by Californians and that state actions from his March executive order are beginning to take hold. Preliminary data from June 2022 indicate that statewide water savings will likely build on savings from May and continue to head in the right direction. Based on data representing 30% of the state’s population, preliminary water savings are 7.7% for June 2022 compared to June 2020.
- The greatest savings in May of 18.6% came from the North Lahontan region that spans the high desert and mountains of the state’s northeast. By contrast, water use climbed 8.9% in the state’s dry southeast, which includes the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.
- Conservation numbers look more promising for June: Updated preliminary data shows savings of about 7.7% from nearly a third of the population served by urban water systems. But statewide savings from last July through May stand at just 2%.
A greater sense of urgency
In Southern California, and elsewhere, we’ve seen growing local response to the drought; many suppliers have implemented restrictions on outdoor irrigation. This shift, plus the impact of the State Water Board’s emergency conservation regulations that went into effect on June 10, are beginning to be reflected in the state’s water savings. Final urban water data for June will be reported at the State Water Board’s August 2 meeting.
Thirsty lawns and plants account for a significant amount of our water use, especially during summer months. Cutting down on outdoor irrigation — which can account for up to 80% of urban water use and is higher in the summer — is a critical to reaching our conservation goals. “As California’s climate becomes more and more similar to what we’d see in Mediterranean parts of the world, it’s time to shift our perspective on what beautiful landscaping looks like,” state officials noted.
In other environmental news: The quickly growing Washburn Fire more than doubled in size after sparking Saturday, and on Sunday was threatening the historic Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias protected by former President Abraham Lincoln. Hundreds of people in the historic community of Wawona were also under evacuation orders. Officials fear the blaze could keep spreading this week amid hot and dry conditions.
—Emily Hoeven contributed to this report
