Driven by drenching rainstorms that dramatically reduced the need to water lawns, Californians cut water use 22.2 percent in December compared with the same month a year before, according to new data released Tuesday.
For the first time since last June, when the State Water Resources Control Board required the 411 largest cities and water districts in California to issue monthly water use reports, residents of the Los Angeles and San Diego areas conserved more water than residents of the Bay Area: 23.2 percent vs. 21.6 percent.
But leaders at the board said Tuesday that the impressive gains aren’t expected to last.
January was bone dry and hot, and officials hope water use doesn’t shoot right back up again when the tally is done for January.
“I’m choosing to be optimistic,” said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the state water board. “Obviously it was a wet December, so people had to turn off their sprinklers. But they did make a decision to turn them off. I’m hoping people keep that up.”
Marcus was frank about what the record-dry January, which saw no rainfall in some major California cities for the first time in recorded history, will do to the conservation numbers next month.
“I think it’s slim we’ll see 22 percent savings in January,” she said. “But I hope we don’t see 10 percent or lower.”
If past months are an indicator, however, 10 percent or lower is quite possible.
Despite Gov. Jerry Brown’s request for 20 percent savings statewide, Californians reduced water use only 9.9 percent in November, compared with the prior November; 6.9 percent in October; 10.2 percent in September; 11.5 percent in August; 7.5 percent in July and 4.4 percent in June.
As the state heads toward what could be a fourth year of drought, the state water board will begin considering options on Feb. 17 for tougher rules to reduce urban water use. Among them: requiring all water districts and cities to perform a systemwide audit of leaks, and setting specific days and times when people can water lawns, with violators facing fines.
Various water leaders from around the state said the December numbers were heartening and reinforced how important it is to reduce lawn watering — which accounts for roughly half of all urban water use in California.
“It’s encouraging. Rain helps,” said Dave Bolland, with the Association of California Water Agencies. “We were pleased about December, but obviously, January was pretty worrisome. It’s obvious at this point that the drought emergency is still with us.”
Penny Falcon, water conservation manager at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said that Los Angeles spent $50 million last year in conservation programs such as rebates to people who purchase water-efficient appliances or remove lawns. That’s up from $35 million the year before.
She acknowledged that Los Angeles in recent months has only reduced water use by 3 to 9 percent — something that has raised criticisms because many Bay Area cities have saved 20 percent or more over the same time. But she noted that Los Angeles uses less residential water per capita than the state average — 62 gallons per person per day in December, for example, compared with a statewide average of 67.
By comparison, in December San Francisco residents used 40 gallons per person per day, San Jose Water Company customers used 53, San Diego used 46, East Bay Municipal Utility District used 55, Bakersfield used 81, Sacramento 78 and Contra Costa Water District used 72 gallons per person per day.
Last summer, the board passed statewide rules that ban the wasteful use of water, including requiring that anyone washing a car have a nozzle on the hose they use, that ornamental fountains can only be used if they recycle their water, and that lawn watering not be excessive enough to run off into the sidewalk or neighboring properties. Violators could face fines of up to $500, although enforcement is left up to local cities and water districts and nearly all of them have decided to issue warnings rather than issue fines.
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN
