Calif. beach towns best in state at conserving water
Residential per-capita water use figures released for the first time Tuesday shows residents in coastal communities are among California's most water conscious and they're finding ways to cut their usage even more.
The State Water Resources Control Board is collecting per-capita data to better target conservation efforts during the worst drought in a generation.
Residents in Santa Cruz had the most dramatic reduction in California. Santa Cruzans used 29 percent less water in September 2014 compared to September 2013.
Regional differences range from 84 gallons per-person, per-day in the San Francisco Bay Area to 252 in the Colorado River basin, which includes San Bernardino and Riverside.
The per-capita figures "help us to gain a better sense of comparison than simply looking at percentage reductions, since different areas of the state have been conserving for far longer than other areas," said Board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus in a news release.
But the Tuesday report also shows regions with the lowest per-capita water use also reporting some of the biggest drops in monthly water use. The San Francisco Bay Area decreased water use 15 percent despite already having the lowest per-capita consumption in the state.
Statewide monthly water use in September fell 10 percent compared to the same month in 2013, according to self-reporting by nearly 400 water agencies.
That's lower than the 11.5 percent drop in monthly water use in August. Gov. Jerry Brown called on Californians to reduce water use by 20 percent when he declared a drought emergency in January.
Cities and local water agencies are required to report residential water use under emergency regulations approved by the water board in July. Those regulations also included mandatory outdoor water restrictions bolstered with the threat of up to $500 fines for violations.
Despite recent rains throughout much of the state, California’s drought persists.
Felicia Marcus, Chair of the State Water Board, said, "Some rain and cooler weather are welcome relief, but they don’t mean the drought is over, not by a longshot. A bit of rain means we should be turning off our sprinkler systems and avoiding irrigating outdoors as much as possible while remembering to protect our trees. By far, conservation is still the most cost effective and common sense way to meet our water needs during this prolonged drought."
These large suppliers reported the lowest per-capita water use in September, and are compared to the same month in 2013:
Water Agency, County, Per-capital water use, Change
City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, 45, -29%
City of San Francisco, San Francisco, 46, -9%
California Water Service Company South San Francisco, San Mateo, 46, -8%
California-American Water Company Monterey District, Monterey, 49, -12%
California-American Water Company San Diego District, San Diego, 49, -9%
City of Hayward, Alameda, 52, -20%
Park Water Company, Los Angeles, 55, -9%
City of Daly City, San Mateo, 56, -7%
City of San Bruno, San Mateo, 58, -2%
California Water Service Company East L.A., Los Angeles, 59, -6%
SOURCE: State Water Resources Control Board