Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District

Water consumption in the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District increased 13.32 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has increased 20.08 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 15 million gallons
  • August 2014 12 million gallons
  • August 2015 16 million gallons
  • August 2016 18 million gallons
  • August 2017 12 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 6.0% of water consumption in the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer decreased 33.49 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
57.20
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
86.00
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 13 million gallons
  • 2015 18 million gallons
  • 2016 13 million gallons
February
  • 2013 13 million gallons
  • 2015 19 million gallons
  • 2016 4 million gallons
March
  • 2013 11 million gallons
  • 2015 15 million gallons
  • 2016 5 million gallons
April
  • 2013 10 million gallons
  • 2015 16 million gallons
  • 2016 5 million gallons
May
  • 2013 18 million gallons
  • 2015 13 million gallons
  • 2016 11 million gallons
June
  • 2013 15 million gallons
  • 2015 18 million gallons
  • 2016 16 million gallons
July
  • 2013 16 million gallons
  • 2015 19 million gallons
  • 2016 16 million gallons
August
  • 2013 19 million gallons
  • 2015 16 million gallons
  • 2016 19 million gallons
September
  • 2013 19 million gallons
  • 2015 19 million gallons
  • 2016 18 million gallons
October
  • 2013 16 million gallons
  • 2015 14 million gallons
  • 2016 12 million gallons
November
  • 2013 16 million gallons
  • 2015 19 million gallons
  • 2016 17 million gallons
August
  • 2013 15 million gallons
  • 2015 16 million gallons
  • 2016 18 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District water use decreased by 12.00 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — but the agency failed to meet a 28 percent reduction.
2.529
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
2.226
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 Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days2 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 Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued 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 Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions 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 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

Wash only full loads

Take shorter showers

Repair leaks

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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