Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Olivehurst Public Utility District

Water consumption in the Olivehurst Public Utility District increased 11.93 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 37.95 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 84 million gallons
  • August 2014 54 million gallons
  • August 2015 46 million gallons
  • August 2016 52 million gallons
  • August 2017 54 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 94.0% of water consumption in the Olivehurst Public Utility District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 13.03 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
80.70
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
71.40
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 49 million gallons
  • 2015 51 million gallons
  • 2016 45 million gallons
February
  • 2013 48 million gallons
  • 2015 47 million gallons
  • 2016 42 million gallons
March
  • 2013 53 million gallons
  • 2015 76 million gallons
  • 2016 49 million gallons
April
  • 2013 78 million gallons
  • 2015 78 million gallons
  • 2016 72 million gallons
May
  • 2013 178 million gallons
  • 2015 103 million gallons
  • 2016 105 million gallons
June
  • 2013 176 million gallons
  • 2015 113 million gallons
  • 2016 140 million gallons
July
  • 2013 193 million gallons
  • 2015 126 million gallons
  • 2016 157 million gallons
August
  • 2013 226 million gallons
  • 2015 117 million gallons
  • 2016 146 million gallons
September
  • 2013 216 million gallons
  • 2015 98 million gallons
  • 2016 131 million gallons
October
  • 2013 164 million gallons
  • 2015 88 million gallons
  • 2016 86 million gallons
November
  • 2013 117 million gallons
  • 2015 65 million gallons
  • 2016 53 million gallons
August
  • 2013 84 million gallons
  • 2015 46 million gallons
  • 2016 52 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Olivehurst Public Utility District water use decreased by 38.86 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 36 percent reduction.
22.120
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
13.524
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 Olivehurst Public Utility District 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Days5 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 Days5 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 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed849
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1070 Penalties Assessed1070
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed1255
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received32 Follow-up Actions32 Warnings Issued32 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days3 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 Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed

Here are some ways you can help conserve water

Capture tap water

Repair broken sprinklers

Take shorter showers

Repair leaks

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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