Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Golden State Water Company Placentia

Water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Placentia decreased 8.19 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 20.85 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 169 million gallons
  • August 2014 125 million gallons
  • August 2015 146 million gallons
  • August 2016 134 million gallons
  • August 2017 125 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 73.0% of water consumption in the Golden State Water Company Placentia is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 8.21 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
68.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
74.30
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 153 million gallons
  • 2015 144 million gallons
  • 2016 123 million gallons
February
  • 2013 144 million gallons
  • 2015 136 million gallons
  • 2016 129 million gallons
March
  • 2013 185 million gallons
  • 2015 170 million gallons
  • 2016 136 million gallons
April
  • 2013 202 million gallons
  • 2015 179 million gallons
  • 2016 157 million gallons
May
  • 2013 233 million gallons
  • 2015 165 million gallons
  • 2016 176 million gallons
June
  • 2013 238 million gallons
  • 2015 174 million gallons
  • 2016 182 million gallons
July
  • 2013 257 million gallons
  • 2015 168 million gallons
  • 2016 214 million gallons
August
  • 2013 255 million gallons
  • 2015 176 million gallons
  • 2016 212 million gallons
September
  • 2013 242 million gallons
  • 2015 170 million gallons
  • 2016 233 million gallons
October
  • 2013 224 million gallons
  • 2015 167 million gallons
  • 2016 229 million gallons
November
  • 2013 186 million gallons
  • 2015 156 million gallons
  • 2016 160 million gallons
August
  • 2013 169 million gallons
  • 2015 146 million gallons
  • 2016 134 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Golden State Water Company Placentia water use decreased by 24.60 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 24 percent reduction.
34.833
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
26.264
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 Golden State Water Company Placentia to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions7 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received21 Follow-up Actions19 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions18 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received18 Follow-up Actions4 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed

Here are some ways you can help conserve water

Repair broken sprinklers

Repair leaks

Capture tap water

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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