Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Marina Coast Water District

Water consumption in the Marina Coast Water District decreased 2.49 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 27.38 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 96 million gallons
  • August 2014 67 million gallons
  • August 2015 71 million gallons
  • August 2016 69 million gallons
  • August 2017 67 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 78.0% of water consumption in the Marina Coast Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 9.45 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
50.80
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
56.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 79 million gallons
  • 2015 81 million gallons
  • 2016 69 million gallons
February
  • 2013 91 million gallons
  • 2015 79 million gallons
  • 2016 66 million gallons
March
  • 2013 107 million gallons
  • 2015 95 million gallons
  • 2016 69 million gallons
April
  • 2013 126 million gallons
  • 2015 99 million gallons
  • 2016 81 million gallons
May
  • 2013 147 million gallons
  • 2015 87 million gallons
  • 2016 87 million gallons
June
  • 2013 140 million gallons
  • 2015 89 million gallons
  • 2016 90 million gallons
July
  • 2013 142 million gallons
  • 2015 97 million gallons
  • 2016 93 million gallons
August
  • 2013 143 million gallons
  • 2015 97 million gallons
  • 2016 93 million gallons
September
  • 2013 137 million gallons
  • 2015 93 million gallons
  • 2016 94 million gallons
October
  • 2013 129 million gallons
  • 2015 89 million gallons
  • 2016 89 million gallons
November
  • 2013 108 million gallons
  • 2015 71 million gallons
  • 2016 83 million gallons
August
  • 2013 96 million gallons
  • 2015 71 million gallons
  • 2016 69 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Marina Coast Water District water use decreased by 32.16 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 12 percent reduction.
20.216
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
13.715
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 Marina Coast Water 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 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 Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 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 Days 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions18 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days4 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days3 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 Days3 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

Repair leaks

Capture tap water

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

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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