Environment

Is California water use increasing?

Produced by Aaron Mendelson & Chris Keller | Updated Sept. 7, 2016

August monthly water use by the California Water Service Company East Los Angeles

Water consumption in the California Water Service Company East Los Angeles decreased 4.98 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 14.35 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 403 million gallons
  • August 2014 364 million gallons
  • August 2015 363 million gallons
  • August 2016 345 million gallons
  • August 2017 364 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 53.0% of water consumption in the California Water Service Company East Los Angeles is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 2.86 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
37.40
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
38.50
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 397 million gallons
  • 2015 380 million gallons
  • 2016 340 million gallons
February
  • 2013 366 million gallons
  • 2015 353 million gallons
  • 2016 334 million gallons
March
  • 2013 420 million gallons
  • 2015 407 million gallons
  • 2016 355 million gallons
April
  • 2013 431 million gallons
  • 2015 395 million gallons
  • 2016 364 million gallons
May
  • 2013 459 million gallons
  • 2015 384 million gallons
  • 2016 376 million gallons
June
  • 2013 470 million gallons
  • 2015 394 million gallons
  • 2016 397 million gallons
July
  • 2013 496 million gallons
  • 2015 409 million gallons
  • 2016 422 million gallons
August
  • 2013 503 million gallons
  • 2015 416 million gallons
  • 2016 424 million gallons
September
  • 2013 481 million gallons
  • 2015 398 million gallons
  • 2016 405 million gallons
October
  • 2013 463 million gallons
  • 2015 383 million gallons
  • 2016 393 million gallons
November
  • 2013 420 million gallons
  • 2015 368 million gallons
  • 2016 363 million gallons
August
  • 2013 403 million gallons
  • 2015 363 million gallons
  • 2016 345 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons
2014 water use data is incomplete and therefore not displayed

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

California Water Service Company East Los Angeles water use decreased by 15.24 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 8 percent reduction.
74.326
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
63.002
billion gallons consumed
between June 2015 and February 2016.

*: Approved by the State Water Resources Control Board in 2015, the reduction target was meant to achieve a 25 percent reduction in water use statewide. It is tied to an average July through Sept. 2014 daily per capita residential water use rate that placed water agencies into nine tiers.

Enforcement statistics

Selected enforcement statistics reported by the California Water Service Company East Los Angeles to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions23 Warnings Issued23 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed1
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed1
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received67 Follow-up Actions67 Warnings Issued67 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received78 Follow-up Actions78 Warnings Issued78 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received25 Follow-up Actions25 Warnings Issued25 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed

Here are some ways you can help conserve water

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

Plant California Friendly plants

Take shorter showers

About the data: This data is for urban water suppliers and is based on the the most recent reports submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board. Since the gallons of water used per person per day measurement does not take into account rainfall, temperature, humidity and population density, the State Water Resources Control Board discourages comparisons between water suppliers.

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