Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Hi-Desert Water District

Water consumption in the Hi-Desert Water District decreased 0.10 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 4.67 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 66 million gallons
  • August 2014 64 million gallons
  • August 2015 63 million gallons
  • August 2016 63 million gallons
  • August 2017 64 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 70.0% of water consumption in the Hi-Desert Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 4.50 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
57.30
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
60.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 67 million gallons
  • 2015 63 million gallons
  • 2016 59 million gallons
February
  • 2013 57 million gallons
  • 2015 58 million gallons
  • 2016 57 million gallons
March
  • 2013 73 million gallons
  • 2015 71 million gallons
  • 2016 69 million gallons
April
  • 2013 79 million gallons
  • 2015 76 million gallons
  • 2016 69 million gallons
May
  • 2013 93 million gallons
  • 2015 81 million gallons
  • 2016 79 million gallons
June
  • 2013 104 million gallons
  • 2015 92 million gallons
  • 2016 98 million gallons
July
  • 2013 110 million gallons
  • 2015 95 million gallons
  • 2016 108 million gallons
August
  • 2013 110 million gallons
  • 2015 102 million gallons
  • 2016 112 million gallons
September
  • 2013 88 million gallons
  • 2015 84 million gallons
  • 2016 91 million gallons
October
  • 2013 80 million gallons
  • 2015 76 million gallons
  • 2016 77 million gallons
November
  • 2013 68 million gallons
  • 2015 65 million gallons
  • 2016 67 million gallons
August
  • 2013 66 million gallons
  • 2015 63 million gallons
  • 2016 63 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Hi-Desert Water District water use decreased by 8.15 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — but the agency failed to meet a 16 percent reduction.
13.870
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
12.739
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 Hi-Desert Water District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 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 Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 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 Received2 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed—
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received— Follow-up Actions— Warnings Issued— Penalties Assessed—
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed1
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received— Follow-up Actions— Warnings Issued— Penalties Assessed—
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed—
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed—
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued— Penalties Assessed—
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed1
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed—
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed—
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed—
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed—
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received— Follow-up Actions— Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed—
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days— Complaints Received— Follow-up Actions— Warnings Issued— Penalties Assessed—
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received— Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 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 Days3 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

Capture tap water

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

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.

comments powered by Disqus