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 South San Francisco

Water consumption in the California Water Service Company South San Francisco increased 0.18 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 19.75 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 201 million gallons
  • August 2014 172 million gallons
  • August 2015 161 million gallons
  • August 2016 162 million gallons
  • August 2017 172 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 45.0% of water consumption in the California Water Service Company South San Francisco is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 6.46 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
37.90
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
35.60
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 182 million gallons
  • 2015 197 million gallons
  • 2016 159 million gallons
February
  • 2013 179 million gallons
  • 2015 170 million gallons
  • 2016 150 million gallons
March
  • 2013 210 million gallons
  • 2015 201 million gallons
  • 2016 165 million gallons
April
  • 2013 221 million gallons
  • 2015 192 million gallons
  • 2016 176 million gallons
May
  • 2013 261 million gallons
  • 2015 198 million gallons
  • 2016 195 million gallons
June
  • 2013 263 million gallons
  • 2015 195 million gallons
  • 2016 204 million gallons
July
  • 2013 273 million gallons
  • 2015 207 million gallons
  • 2016 206 million gallons
August
  • 2013 262 million gallons
  • 2015 205 million gallons
  • 2016 207 million gallons
September
  • 2013 248 million gallons
  • 2015 200 million gallons
  • 2016 201 million gallons
October
  • 2013 252 million gallons
  • 2015 204 million gallons
  • 2016 190 million gallons
November
  • 2013 215 million gallons
  • 2015 171 million gallons
  • 2016 159 million gallons
August
  • 2013 201 million gallons
  • 2015 161 million gallons
  • 2016 162 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 South San Francisco water use decreased by 20.94 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 8 percent reduction.
38.754
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
30.637
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 South San Francisco to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Received Follow-up Actions2 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 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 Received Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed1
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed1
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued5 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

Take shorter showers

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Wash only full loads

Capture tap water

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.

comments powered by Disqus