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 Mid Peninsula

Water consumption in the California Water Service Company Mid Peninsula increased 0.67 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 25.08 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 354 million gallons
  • August 2014 276 million gallons
  • August 2015 264 million gallons
  • August 2016 265 million gallons
  • August 2017 276 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 73.0% of water consumption in the California Water Service Company Mid Peninsula is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 2.68 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
46.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
44.80
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 295 million gallons
  • 2015 308 million gallons
  • 2016 256 million gallons
February
  • 2013 292 million gallons
  • 2015 287 million gallons
  • 2016 246 million gallons
March
  • 2013 330 million gallons
  • 2015 363 million gallons
  • 2016 270 million gallons
April
  • 2013 366 million gallons
  • 2015 348 million gallons
  • 2016 313 million gallons
May
  • 2013 487 million gallons
  • 2015 372 million gallons
  • 2016 381 million gallons
June
  • 2013 525 million gallons
  • 2015 370 million gallons
  • 2016 422 million gallons
July
  • 2013 533 million gallons
  • 2015 398 million gallons
  • 2016 443 million gallons
August
  • 2013 575 million gallons
  • 2015 397 million gallons
  • 2016 438 million gallons
September
  • 2013 523 million gallons
  • 2015 379 million gallons
  • 2016 412 million gallons
October
  • 2013 494 million gallons
  • 2015 363 million gallons
  • 2016 349 million gallons
November
  • 2013 396 million gallons
  • 2015 287 million gallons
  • 2016 280 million gallons
August
  • 2013 354 million gallons
  • 2015 264 million gallons
  • 2016 265 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 Mid Peninsula water use decreased by 24.10 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 16 percent reduction.
72.371
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
54.927
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 Mid Peninsula to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions8 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 Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received34 Follow-up Actions31 Warnings Issued31 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received34 Follow-up Actions37 Warnings Issued37 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received96 Follow-up Actions97 Warnings Issued97 Penalties Assessed2
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received32 Follow-up Actions29 Warnings Issued29 Penalties Assessed1
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received19 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received17 Follow-up Actions16 Warnings Issued16 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed1
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received46 Follow-up Actions46 Warnings Issued46 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received48 Follow-up Actions48 Warnings Issued48 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received17 Follow-up Actions17 Warnings Issued17 Penalties Assessed2
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions18 Warnings Issued18 Penalties Assessed2
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received46 Follow-up Actions46 Warnings Issued46 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received42 Follow-up Actions42 Warnings Issued42 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received57 Follow-up Actions57 Warnings Issued57 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received32 Follow-up Actions32 Warnings Issued32 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received26 Follow-up Actions26 Warnings Issued26 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued20 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

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Repair leaks

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

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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