Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Diablo Water District

Water consumption in the Diablo Water District increased 6.38 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 22.36 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 105 million gallons
  • August 2014 78 million gallons
  • August 2015 77 million gallons
  • August 2016 82 million gallons
  • August 2017 78 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 81.0% of water consumption in the Diablo Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 0.38 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
52.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
52.40
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 85 million gallons
  • 2015 88 million gallons
  • 2016 70 million gallons
February
  • 2013 92 million gallons
  • 2015 83 million gallons
  • 2016 74 million gallons
March
  • 2013 138 million gallons
  • 2015 130 million gallons
  • 2016 74 million gallons
April
  • 2013 159 million gallons
  • 2015 127 million gallons
  • 2016 111 million gallons
May
  • 2013 207 million gallons
  • 2015 145 million gallons
  • 2016 139 million gallons
June
  • 2013 219 million gallons
  • 2015 136 million gallons
  • 2016 169 million gallons
July
  • 2013 241 million gallons
  • 2015 157 million gallons
  • 2016 184 million gallons
August
  • 2013 230 million gallons
  • 2015 155 million gallons
  • 2016 183 million gallons
September
  • 2013 203 million gallons
  • 2015 142 million gallons
  • 2016 165 million gallons
October
  • 2013 181 million gallons
  • 2015 130 million gallons
  • 2016 129 million gallons
November
  • 2013 132 million gallons
  • 2015 85 million gallons
  • 2016 93 million gallons
August
  • 2013 105 million gallons
  • 2015 77 million gallons
  • 2016 82 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Diablo Water District water use decreased by 32.20 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 28 percent reduction.
27.886
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
18.906
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 Diablo Water District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions77 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions78 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions74 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions145 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions162 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions211 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions175 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions93 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions77 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions55 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions58 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions68 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions77 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions78 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions74 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions145 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions290 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions69 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions188 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions106 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions105 Warnings Issued21 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions69 Warnings Issued29 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions65 Warnings Issued21 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions51 Warnings Issued24 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions91 Warnings Issued48 Penalties Assessed3
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions94 Warnings Issued36 Penalties Assessed34
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions97 Warnings Issued56 Penalties Assessed11
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions92 Warnings Issued72 Penalties Assessed26
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions83 Warnings Issued50 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions142 Warnings Issued18 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions48 Warnings Issued29 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions89 Warnings Issued64 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions177 Warnings Issued106 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions107 Warnings Issued58 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

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth

Plant California Friendly plants

Capture tap water

Repair broken sprinklers

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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