Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the City Of East Palo Alto

Water consumption in the City Of East Palo Alto increased 11.23 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has increased 8.47 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 38 million gallons
  • August 2014 33 million gallons
  • August 2015 37 million gallons
  • August 2016 41 million gallons
  • August 2017 33 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 90.0% of water consumption in the City Of East Palo Alto is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 11.23 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
40.60
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
36.50
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 60 million gallons
  • 2015 42 million gallons
  • 2016 40 million gallons
February
  • 2013 31 million gallons
  • 2015 29 million gallons
  • 2016 35 million gallons
March
  • 2013 55 million gallons
  • 2015 49 million gallons
  • 2016 37 million gallons
April
  • 2013 55 million gallons
  • 2015 29 million gallons
  • 2016 44 million gallons
May
  • 2013 65 million gallons
  • 2015 45 million gallons
  • 2016 41 million gallons
June
  • 2013 49 million gallons
  • 2015 44 million gallons
  • 2016 49 million gallons
July
  • 2013 76 million gallons
  • 2015 48 million gallons
  • 2016 55 million gallons
August
  • 2013 54 million gallons
  • 2015 51 million gallons
  • 2016 50 million gallons
September
  • 2013 72 million gallons
  • 2015 45 million gallons
  • 2016 55 million gallons
October
  • 2013 66 million gallons
  • 2015 50 million gallons
  • 2016 46 million gallons
November
  • 2013 66 million gallons
  • 2015 40 million gallons
  • 2016 40 million gallons
August
  • 2013 38 million gallons
  • 2015 37 million gallons
  • 2016 41 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

City Of East Palo Alto water use decreased by 22.35 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 8 percent reduction.
9.204
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
7.147
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 City Of East Palo Alto to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed5
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 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 Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed5
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions55 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions55 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed

Here are some ways you can help conserve water

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Water before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

Plant California Friendly plants

Wash only full loads

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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