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 Los Altos Suburban

Water consumption in the California Water Service Company Los Altos Suburban increased 2.50 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 42.23 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 289 million gallons
  • August 2014 174 million gallons
  • August 2015 163 million gallons
  • August 2016 167 million gallons
  • August 2017 174 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 75.0% of water consumption in the California Water Service Company Los Altos Suburban is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 4.50 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
58.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
55.50
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 236 million gallons
  • 2015 218 million gallons
  • 2016 154 million gallons
February
  • 2013 238 million gallons
  • 2015 203 million gallons
  • 2016 159 million gallons
March
  • 2013 323 million gallons
  • 2015 296 million gallons
  • 2016 182 million gallons
April
  • 2013 399 million gallons
  • 2015 295 million gallons
  • 2016 233 million gallons
May
  • 2013 514 million gallons
  • 2015 309 million gallons
  • 2016 323 million gallons
June
  • 2013 534 million gallons
  • 2015 318 million gallons
  • 2016 394 million gallons
July
  • 2013 567 million gallons
  • 2015 348 million gallons
  • 2016 430 million gallons
August
  • 2013 547 million gallons
  • 2015 344 million gallons
  • 2016 422 million gallons
September
  • 2013 503 million gallons
  • 2015 332 million gallons
  • 2016 383 million gallons
October
  • 2013 466 million gallons
  • 2015 300 million gallons
  • 2016 295 million gallons
November
  • 2013 335 million gallons
  • 2015 193 million gallons
  • 2016 198 million gallons
August
  • 2013 289 million gallons
  • 2015 163 million gallons
  • 2016 167 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 Los Altos Suburban water use decreased by 38.41 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 32 percent reduction.
69.307
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
42.689
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 Los Altos Suburban 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions4 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 Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed1
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received27 Follow-up Actions27 Warnings Issued27 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received36 Follow-up Actions36 Warnings Issued36 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 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

Repair leaks

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Repair broken sprinklers

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

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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