Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

October monthly water use by the San Bernardino County Service Area 70

Water consumption in the San Bernardino County Service Area 70 increased 33.65 percent in October 2017 compared to October 2016. Overall, consumption in October has decreased 16.92 percent over the past five years.
  • October 2013 50 million gallons
  • October 2014 48 million gallons
  • October 2015 39 million gallons
  • October 2016 45 million gallons
  • October 2017 60 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 23.83% of water consumption in the San Bernardino County Service Area 70 is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 10.95 percent in October 2017 compared to October 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
38.79
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for October 2017
34.96
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for October 2016

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 32 million gallons
  • 2015 26 million gallons
  • 2016 23 million gallons
February
  • 2013 27 million gallons
  • 2015 28 million gallons
  • 2016 24 million gallons
March
  • 2013 32 million gallons
  • 2015 40 million gallons
  • 2016 29 million gallons
April
  • 2013 50 million gallons
  • 2015 138 million gallons
  • 2016 37 million gallons
May
  • 2013 58 million gallons
  • 2015 44 million gallons
  • 2016 45 million gallons
June
  • 2013 71 million gallons
  • 2015 53 million gallons
  • 2016 56 million gallons
July
  • 2013 81 million gallons
  • 2015 51 million gallons
  • 2016 61 million gallons
August
  • 2013 72 million gallons
  • 2015 51 million gallons
  • 2016 60 million gallons
September
  • 2013 60 million gallons
  • 2015 49 million gallons
  • 2016 52 million gallons
October
  • 2013 72 million gallons
  • 2015 39 million gallons
  • 2016 45 million gallons
November
  • 2013 36 million gallons
  • 2015 30 million gallons
  • 2016 34 million gallons
August
  • 2013 29 million gallons
  • 2015 27 million gallons
  • 2016 29 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

San Bernardino County Service Area 70 water use decreased by 24.60 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.
8.482
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
6.396
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 San Bernardino County Service Area 70 to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued20 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued20 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued15 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued17 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued18 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days Complaints Received Follow-up Actions12 Warnings Issued14 Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions18 Warnings Issued43 Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions40 Warnings Issued20 Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions52 Warnings Issued16 Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received2 Follow-up Actions16 Warnings Issued2 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions96 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed1
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions71 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions95 Warnings Issued224 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions153 Warnings Issued331 Penalties Assessed1
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions123 Warnings Issued556 Penalties Assessed2
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions49 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions59 Warnings Issued9 Penalties Assessed2
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions48 Warnings Issued19 Penalties Assessed4
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions19 Warnings Issued7 Penalties Assessed2
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received1 Follow-up Actions87 Warnings Issued30 Penalties Assessed4
MonthNovember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions29 Warnings Issued36 Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions51 Warnings Issued4 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions103 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions105 Warnings Issued12 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days2 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions32 Warnings Issued11 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2014 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2014 Watering Days3 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

Repair leaks

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Take shorter showers

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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