Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Golden State Water Company Barstow

Water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Barstow increased 3.48 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 5.58 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 111 million gallons
  • August 2014 91 million gallons
  • August 2015 101 million gallons
  • August 2016 105 million gallons
  • August 2017 91 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 65.0% of water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Barstow is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 3.39 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
70.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
67.80
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 114 million gallons
  • 2015 101 million gallons
  • 2016 94 million gallons
February
  • 2013 105 million gallons
  • 2015 100 million gallons
  • 2016 97 million gallons
March
  • 2013 141 million gallons
  • 2015 130 million gallons
  • 2016 116 million gallons
April
  • 2013 174 million gallons
  • 2015 149 million gallons
  • 2016 115 million gallons
May
  • 2013 207 million gallons
  • 2015 167 million gallons
  • 2016 146 million gallons
June
  • 2013 239 million gallons
  • 2015 181 million gallons
  • 2016 179 million gallons
July
  • 2013 275 million gallons
  • 2015 174 million gallons
  • 2016 194 million gallons
August
  • 2013 241 million gallons
  • 2015 190 million gallons
  • 2016 202 million gallons
September
  • 2013 205 million gallons
  • 2015 167 million gallons
  • 2016 166 million gallons
October
  • 2013 173 million gallons
  • 2015 141 million gallons
  • 2016 140 million gallons
November
  • 2013 132 million gallons
  • 2015 110 million gallons
  • 2016 120 million gallons
August
  • 2013 111 million gallons
  • 2015 101 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*

Golden State Water Company Barstow water use decreased by 22.90 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — but the agency failed to meet a 24 percent reduction.
29.647
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
22.858
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 Golden State Water Company Barstow 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued 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 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 Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received26 Follow-up Actions25 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days7 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

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

Repair broken sprinklers

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.

comments powered by Disqus