Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Estero Municipal Improvement District

Water consumption in the Estero Municipal Improvement District increased 9.58 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has increased 26.58 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 94 million gallons
  • August 2014 91 million gallons
  • August 2015 78 million gallons
  • August 2016 85 million gallons
  • August 2017 91 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 70.0% of water consumption in the Estero Municipal Improvement District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 14.13 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
51.70
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
45.30
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 81 million gallons
  • 2015 85 million gallons
  • 2016 72 million gallons
February
  • 2013 99 million gallons
  • 2015 97 million gallons
  • 2016 78 million gallons
March
  • 2013 107 million gallons
  • 2015 119 million gallons
  • 2016 94 million gallons
April
  • 2013 135 million gallons
  • 2015 137 million gallons
  • 2016 110 million gallons
May
  • 2013 151 million gallons
  • 2015 120 million gallons
  • 2016 147 million gallons
June
  • 2013 187 million gallons
  • 2015 147 million gallons
  • 2016 156 million gallons
July
  • 2013 159 million gallons
  • 2015 131 million gallons
  • 2016 146 million gallons
August
  • 2013 164 million gallons
  • 2015 138 million gallons
  • 2016 168 million gallons
September
  • 2013 144 million gallons
  • 2015 125 million gallons
  • 2016 133 million gallons
October
  • 2013 119 million gallons
  • 2015 110 million gallons
  • 2016 83 million gallons
November
  • 2013 103 million gallons
  • 2015 81 million gallons
  • 2016 96 million gallons
August
  • 2013 67 million gallons
  • 2015 78 million gallons
  • 2016 85 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Estero Municipal Improvement District water use decreased by 13.62 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 12 percent reduction.
21.243
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
18.351
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 Estero Municipal Improvement District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued2 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 Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days7 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 Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued3 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

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

Take shorter showers

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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