Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the City Of San Jose

Water consumption in the City Of San Jose decreased 6.10 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 26.14 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 417 million gallons
  • August 2014 323 million gallons
  • August 2015 328 million gallons
  • August 2016 308 million gallons
  • August 2017 323 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 72.0% of water consumption in the City Of San Jose is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 12.72 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
62.90
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
55.80
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 350 million gallons
  • 2015 377 million gallons
  • 2016 312 million gallons
February
  • 2013 383 million gallons
  • 2015 342 million gallons
  • 2016 290 million gallons
March
  • 2013 466 million gallons
  • 2015 433 million gallons
  • 2016 322 million gallons
April
  • 2013 592 million gallons
  • 2015 441 million gallons
  • 2016 390 million gallons
May
  • 2013 737 million gallons
  • 2015 451 million gallons
  • 2016 459 million gallons
June
  • 2013 737 million gallons
  • 2015 493 million gallons
  • 2016 551 million gallons
July
  • 2013 818 million gallons
  • 2015 528 million gallons
  • 2016 578 million gallons
August
  • 2013 791 million gallons
  • 2015 520 million gallons
  • 2016 584 million gallons
September
  • 2013 675 million gallons
  • 2015 508 million gallons
  • 2016 543 million gallons
October
  • 2013 630 million gallons
  • 2015 475 million gallons
  • 2016 423 million gallons
November
  • 2013 493 million gallons
  • 2015 341 million gallons
  • 2016 355 million gallons
August
  • 2013 417 million gallons
  • 2015 328 million gallons
  • 2016 308 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

City Of San Jose water use decreased by 29.95 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 20 percent reduction.
99.246
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
69.519
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 City Of San Jose to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions7 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 Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received4 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received17 Follow-up Actions16 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions16 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received32 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received23 Follow-up Actions22 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received26 Follow-up Actions25 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received34 Follow-up Actions29 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received27 Follow-up Actions26 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received39 Follow-up Actions34 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received53 Follow-up Actions38 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received61 Follow-up Actions45 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received91 Follow-up Actions87 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received169 Follow-up Actions129 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received69 Follow-up Actions47 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received76 Follow-up Actions67 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions18 Warnings Issued 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

Capture tap water

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

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

Wash only full loads

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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