Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the South Coast Water District

Water consumption in the South Coast Water District decreased 1.48 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 24.88 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 156 million gallons
  • August 2014 114 million gallons
  • August 2015 119 million gallons
  • August 2016 117 million gallons
  • August 2017 114 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 73.0% of water consumption in the South Coast Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 0.50 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
79.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
79.40
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 137 million gallons
  • 2015 124 million gallons
  • 2016 113 million gallons
February
  • 2013 134 million gallons
  • 2015 120 million gallons
  • 2016 115 million gallons
March
  • 2013 167 million gallons
  • 2015 150 million gallons
  • 2016 124 million gallons
April
  • 2013 178 million gallons
  • 2015 148 million gallons
  • 2016 129 million gallons
May
  • 2013 199 million gallons
  • 2015 141 million gallons
  • 2016 143 million gallons
June
  • 2013 207 million gallons
  • 2015 143 million gallons
  • 2016 146 million gallons
July
  • 2013 221 million gallons
  • 2015 148 million gallons
  • 2016 167 million gallons
August
  • 2013 221 million gallons
  • 2015 151 million gallons
  • 2016 169 million gallons
September
  • 2013 208 million gallons
  • 2015 146 million gallons
  • 2016 157 million gallons
October
  • 2013 192 million gallons
  • 2015 143 million gallons
  • 2016 153 million gallons
November
  • 2013 164 million gallons
  • 2015 128 million gallons
  • 2016 137 million gallons
August
  • 2013 156 million gallons
  • 2015 119 million gallons
  • 2016 117 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

South Coast Water District water use decreased by 26.73 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 24 percent reduction.
30.572
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
22.400
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 South Coast Water District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions46 Warnings Issued41 Penalties Assessed8
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions49 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions87 Warnings Issued72 Penalties Assessed36
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions111 Warnings Issued99 Penalties Assessed33
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued18 Penalties Assessed7
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions24 Warnings Issued22 Penalties Assessed1
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions28 Warnings Issued27 Penalties Assessed2
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions56 Warnings Issued55 Penalties Assessed23
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions38 Warnings Issued33 Penalties Assessed4
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions46 Warnings Issued41 Penalties Assessed8
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions49 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions87 Warnings Issued72 Penalties Assessed36
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions111 Warnings Issued99 Penalties Assessed33
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions77 Warnings Issued62 Penalties Assessed8
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions49 Warnings Issued49 Penalties Assessed17
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions73 Warnings Issued61 Penalties Assessed11
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions85 Warnings Issued54 Penalties Assessed31
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received16 Follow-up Actions139 Warnings Issued119 Penalties Assessed8
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions91 Warnings Issued86 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions192 Warnings Issued164 Penalties Assessed18
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions55 Warnings Issued51 Penalties Assessed12
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions63 Warnings Issued52 Penalties Assessed12
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions47 Warnings Issued47 Penalties Assessed47
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received24 Follow-up Actions105 Warnings Issued81 Penalties Assessed26
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received19 Follow-up Actions117 Warnings Issued98 Penalties Assessed21
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received24 Follow-up Actions405 Warnings Issued269 Penalties Assessed112
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received39 Follow-up Actions375 Warnings Issued312 Penalties Assessed26
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received33 Follow-up Actions569 Warnings Issued536 Penalties Assessed26
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received40 Follow-up Actions157 Warnings Issued27 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received36 Follow-up Actions174 Warnings Issued69 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions54 Warnings Issued54 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days 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 Days 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

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

Capture tap water

Repair leaks

Plant California Friendly plants

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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