Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Discovery Bay Community Services District

Water consumption in the Discovery Bay Community Services District increased 4.65 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 31.82 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 68 million gallons
  • August 2014 47 million gallons
  • August 2015 43 million gallons
  • August 2016 45 million gallons
  • August 2017 47 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 90.0% of water consumption in the Discovery Bay Community Services District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 5.49 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
86.50
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
82.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 53 million gallons
  • 2015 48 million gallons
  • 2016 39 million gallons
February
  • 2013 58 million gallons
  • 2015 45 million gallons
  • 2016 38 million gallons
March
  • 2013 84 million gallons
  • 2015 70 million gallons
  • 2016 42 million gallons
April
  • 2013 100 million gallons
  • 2015 75 million gallons
  • 2016 62 million gallons
May
  • 2013 143 million gallons
  • 2015 80 million gallons
  • 2016 88 million gallons
June
  • 2013 145 million gallons
  • 2015 87 million gallons
  • 2016 110 million gallons
July
  • 2013 157 million gallons
  • 2015 93 million gallons
  • 2016 127 million gallons
August
  • 2013 151 million gallons
  • 2015 94 million gallons
  • 2016 119 million gallons
September
  • 2013 131 million gallons
  • 2015 86 million gallons
  • 2016 105 million gallons
October
  • 2013 114 million gallons
  • 2015 80 million gallons
  • 2016 75 million gallons
November
  • 2013 83 million gallons
  • 2015 52 million gallons
  • 2016 49 million gallons
August
  • 2013 66 million gallons
  • 2015 43 million gallons
  • 2016 45 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Discovery Bay Community Services District water use decreased by 37.45 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 32 percent reduction.
17.987
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
11.251
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 Discovery Bay Community Services District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued39 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions14 Warnings Issued26 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued29 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued11 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued19 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued469 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received30 Follow-up Actions24 Warnings Issued443 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions16 Warnings Issued305 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received24 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued260 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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

Take shorter showers

Wash only full loads

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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