Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the City Of San Luis Obispo

Water consumption in the City Of San Luis Obispo decreased 1.58 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 21.53 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 133 million gallons
  • August 2014 105 million gallons
  • August 2015 106 million gallons
  • August 2016 105 million gallons
  • August 2017 105 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 60.0% of water consumption in the City Of San Luis Obispo is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 2.23 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
43.90
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
44.90
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 118 million gallons
  • 2015 123 million gallons
  • 2016 101 million gallons
February
  • 2013 113 million gallons
  • 2015 110 million gallons
  • 2016 99 million gallons
March
  • 2013 138 million gallons
  • 2015 130 million gallons
  • 2016 105 million gallons
April
  • 2013 152 million gallons
  • 2015 134 million gallons
  • 2016 121 million gallons
May
  • 2013 184 million gallons
  • 2015 138 million gallons
  • 2016 135 million gallons
June
  • 2013 173 million gallons
  • 2015 139 million gallons
  • 2016 135 million gallons
July
  • 2013 181 million gallons
  • 2015 133 million gallons
  • 2016 139 million gallons
August
  • 2013 178 million gallons
  • 2015 135 million gallons
  • 2016 139 million gallons
September
  • 2013 171 million gallons
  • 2015 138 million gallons
  • 2016 139 million gallons
October
  • 2013 173 million gallons
  • 2015 139 million gallons
  • 2016 140 million gallons
November
  • 2013 148 million gallons
  • 2015 115 million gallons
  • 2016 113 million gallons
August
  • 2013 133 million gallons
  • 2015 106 million gallons
  • 2016 105 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

City Of San Luis Obispo water use decreased by 21.44 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 12 percent reduction.
26.112
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
20.513
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 San Luis Obispo to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received38 Follow-up Actions38 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received37 Follow-up Actions34 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received38 Follow-up Actions38 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received37 Follow-up Actions34 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received68 Follow-up Actions64 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received80 Follow-up Actions80 Warnings Issued32 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received78 Follow-up Actions76 Warnings Issued32 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received16 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received29 Follow-up Actions27 Warnings Issued17 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received27 Follow-up Actions27 Warnings Issued27 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received27 Follow-up Actions27 Warnings Issued27 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received137 Follow-up Actions137 Warnings Issued137 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received30 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued30 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received91 Follow-up Actions91 Warnings Issued91 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received90 Follow-up Actions90 Warnings Issued90 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received29 Follow-up Actions29 Warnings Issued29 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received57 Follow-up Actions57 Warnings Issued57 Penalties Assessed57
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received114 Follow-up Actions108 Warnings Issued114 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received34 Follow-up Actions34 Warnings Issued9 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 only full loads

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

Plant California Friendly plants

Capture tap water

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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