Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Del Oro Water Company

Water consumption in the Del Oro Water Company increased 3.08 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 30.22 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 29 million gallons
  • August 2014 21 million gallons
  • August 2015 20 million gallons
  • August 2016 20 million gallons
  • August 2017 21 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 79.0% of water consumption in the Del Oro Water Company is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 9.07 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
54.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
49.60
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 31 million gallons
  • 2015 24 million gallons
  • 2016 19 million gallons
February
  • 2013 28 million gallons
  • 2015 22 million gallons
  • 2016 21 million gallons
March
  • 2013 22 million gallons
  • 2015 21 million gallons
  • 2016 19 million gallons
April
  • 2013 28 million gallons
  • 2015 25 million gallons
  • 2016 21 million gallons
May
  • 2013 42 million gallons
  • 2015 25 million gallons
  • 2016 23 million gallons
June
  • 2013 51 million gallons
  • 2015 24 million gallons
  • 2016 28 million gallons
July
  • 2013 49 million gallons
  • 2015 32 million gallons
  • 2016 32 million gallons
August
  • 2013 52 million gallons
  • 2015 29 million gallons
  • 2016 33 million gallons
September
  • 2013 58 million gallons
  • 2015 32 million gallons
  • 2016 35 million gallons
October
  • 2013 36 million gallons
  • 2015 26 million gallons
  • 2016 31 million gallons
November
  • 2013 35 million gallons
  • 2015 25 million gallons
  • 2016 20 million gallons
August
  • 2013 29 million gallons
  • 2015 20 million gallons
  • 2016 20 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Del Oro Water Company water use decreased by 37.42 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 24 percent reduction.
6.468
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
4.048
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 Del Oro Water Company 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 Received 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
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days3 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days3 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

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

Repair broken sprinklers

Capture tap water

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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