Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the El Toro Water District

Water consumption in the El Toro Water District decreased 0.26 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 27.58 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 193 million gallons
  • August 2014 134 million gallons
  • August 2015 140 million gallons
  • August 2016 140 million gallons
  • August 2017 134 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 71.0% of water consumption in the El Toro Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 4.59 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
66.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
63.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 177 million gallons
  • 2015 169 million gallons
  • 2016 136 million gallons
February
  • 2013 164 million gallons
  • 2015 172 million gallons
  • 2016 143 million gallons
March
  • 2013 240 million gallons
  • 2015 218 million gallons
  • 2016 155 million gallons
April
  • 2013 269 million gallons
  • 2015 230 million gallons
  • 2016 171 million gallons
May
  • 2013 285 million gallons
  • 2015 207 million gallons
  • 2016 203 million gallons
June
  • 2013 325 million gallons
  • 2015 252 million gallons
  • 2016 238 million gallons
July
  • 2013 331 million gallons
  • 2015 236 million gallons
  • 2016 251 million gallons
August
  • 2013 340 million gallons
  • 2015 257 million gallons
  • 2016 246 million gallons
September
  • 2013 314 million gallons
  • 2015 216 million gallons
  • 2016 219 million gallons
October
  • 2013 264 million gallons
  • 2015 200 million gallons
  • 2016 196 million gallons
November
  • 2013 223 million gallons
  • 2015 172 million gallons
  • 2016 171 million gallons
August
  • 2013 193 million gallons
  • 2015 140 million gallons
  • 2016 140 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

El Toro Water District water use decreased by 26.98 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 24 percent reduction.
43.750
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
31.945
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 El Toro Water District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received12 Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received11 Follow-up Actions11 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days1 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days1 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions14 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received35 Follow-up Actions35 Warnings Issued16 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received23 Follow-up Actions23 Warnings Issued22 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received32 Follow-up Actions32 Warnings Issued15 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions 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

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Wash only full loads

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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