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 Norwalk

Water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Norwalk decreased 5.67 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 14.92 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 118 million gallons
  • August 2014 99 million gallons
  • August 2015 106 million gallons
  • August 2016 100 million gallons
  • August 2017 99 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 73.0% of water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Norwalk is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 5.69 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
53.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
56.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 110 million gallons
  • 2015 106 million gallons
  • 2016 99 million gallons
February
  • 2013 101 million gallons
  • 2015 102 million gallons
  • 2016 97 million gallons
March
  • 2013 124 million gallons
  • 2015 113 million gallons
  • 2016 104 million gallons
April
  • 2013 132 million gallons
  • 2015 119 million gallons
  • 2016 113 million gallons
May
  • 2013 146 million gallons
  • 2015 118 million gallons
  • 2016 115 million gallons
June
  • 2013 151 million gallons
  • 2015 118 million gallons
  • 2016 147 million gallons
July
  • 2013 156 million gallons
  • 2015 119 million gallons
  • 2016 138 million gallons
August
  • 2013 157 million gallons
  • 2015 129 million gallons
  • 2016 138 million gallons
September
  • 2013 152 million gallons
  • 2015 126 million gallons
  • 2016 129 million gallons
October
  • 2013 143 million gallons
  • 2015 118 million gallons
  • 2016 124 million gallons
November
  • 2013 126 million gallons
  • 2015 111 million gallons
  • 2016 111 million gallons
August
  • 2013 118 million gallons
  • 2015 106 million gallons
  • 2016 100 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 Norwalk water use decreased by 16.07 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 12 percent reduction.
22.623
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
18.987
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 Norwalk to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 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 Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received21 Follow-up Actions21 Warnings Issued21 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions 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

Repair leaks

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

Capture tap water

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

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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