Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the Orchard Dale Water District

Water consumption in the Orchard Dale Water District decreased 0.80 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 9.47 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 49 million gallons
  • August 2014 45 million gallons
  • August 2015 48 million gallons
  • August 2016 48 million gallons
  • August 2017 45 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 91.0% of water consumption in the Orchard Dale Water District is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 4.08 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
56.10
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
53.90
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 46 million gallons
  • 2015 45 million gallons
  • 2016 42 million gallons
February
  • 2013 43 million gallons
  • 2015 44 million gallons
  • 2016 42 million gallons
March
  • 2013 56 million gallons
  • 2015 54 million gallons
  • 2016 44 million gallons
April
  • 2013 63 million gallons
  • 2015 55 million gallons
  • 2016 53 million gallons
May
  • 2013 68 million gallons
  • 2015 52 million gallons
  • 2016 47 million gallons
June
  • 2013 72 million gallons
  • 2015 57 million gallons
  • 2016 58 million gallons
July
  • 2013 74 million gallons
  • 2015 61 million gallons
  • 2016 67 million gallons
August
  • 2013 85 million gallons
  • 2015 65 million gallons
  • 2016 76 million gallons
September
  • 2013 75 million gallons
  • 2015 57 million gallons
  • 2016 73 million gallons
October
  • 2013 66 million gallons
  • 2015 52 million gallons
  • 2016 68 million gallons
November
  • 2013 55 million gallons
  • 2015 49 million gallons
  • 2016 65 million gallons
August
  • 2013 53 million gallons
  • 2015 48 million gallons
  • 2016 48 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

Orchard Dale Water District water use decreased by 19.63 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — achieving a 12 percent reduction.
10.759
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
8.647
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 Orchard Dale 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 Received Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days3 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 Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued8 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions1 Warnings Issued1 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received13 Follow-up Actions13 Warnings Issued13 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions2 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed2
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received9 Follow-up Actions9 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received19 Follow-up Actions19 Warnings Issued19 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received6 Follow-up Actions6 Warnings Issued6 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions14 Warnings Issued14 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received28 Follow-up Actions28 Warnings Issued28 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received34 Follow-up Actions34 Warnings Issued34 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received42 Follow-up Actions42 Warnings Issued42 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received14 Follow-up Actions14 Warnings Issued14 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days Complaints Received10 Follow-up Actions10 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days2 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

Repair leaks

Wash only full loads

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

Plant California Friendly plants

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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