Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the California Water Service Company Bear Gulch

Water consumption in the California Water Service Company Bear Gulch decreased 3.02 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 44.10 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 245 million gallons
  • August 2014 153 million gallons
  • August 2015 141 million gallons
  • August 2016 137 million gallons
  • August 2017 153 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 84.0% of water consumption in the California Water Service Company Bear Gulch is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 4.11 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
53.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
51.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 163 million gallons
  • 2015 197 million gallons
  • 2016 132 million gallons
February
  • 2013 191 million gallons
  • 2015 186 million gallons
  • 2016 135 million gallons
March
  • 2013 285 million gallons
  • 2015 293 million gallons
  • 2016 148 million gallons
April
  • 2013 378 million gallons
  • 2015 290 million gallons
  • 2016 221 million gallons
May
  • 2013 541 million gallons
  • 2015 324 million gallons
  • 2016 323 million gallons
June
  • 2013 568 million gallons
  • 2015 336 million gallons
  • 2016 412 million gallons
July
  • 2013 605 million gallons
  • 2015 372 million gallons
  • 2016 457 million gallons
August
  • 2013 571 million gallons
  • 2015 379 million gallons
  • 2016 447 million gallons
September
  • 2013 508 million gallons
  • 2015 360 million gallons
  • 2016 413 million gallons
October
  • 2013 456 million gallons
  • 2015 328 million gallons
  • 2016 289 million gallons
November
  • 2013 315 million gallons
  • 2015 182 million gallons
  • 2016 174 million gallons
August
  • 2013 245 million gallons
  • 2015 141 million gallons
  • 2016 137 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

California Water Service Company Bear Gulch water use decreased by 36.66 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 36 percent reduction.
67.577
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
42.804
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 California Water Service Company Bear Gulch to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions 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 Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed2
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received24 Follow-up Actions24 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received25 Follow-up Actions25 Warnings Issued25 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions14 Warnings Issued14 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 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

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

Wash only full loads

Take shorter showers

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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