Environment

Is California water use increasing?

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

August monthly water use by the South Feather Water And Power Agency

Water consumption in the South Feather Water And Power Agency increased 7.69 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Overall, consumption in August has decreased 17.65 percent over the past five years.
  • August 2013 84 million gallons
  • August 2014 64 million gallons
  • August 2015 65 million gallons
  • August 2016 70 million gallons
  • August 2017 64 million gallons

Displayed in millions of gallons

Average daily water consumption by each residential customer

About 98.0% of water consumption in the South Feather Water And Power Agency is residential. The average daily gallons used by each residential customer increased 11.17 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.
135.40
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017
121.80
average daily gallons
used by each residential
customer for August 2017

Year-over-year water consumption

January
  • 2013 69 million gallons
  • 2015 67 million gallons
  • 2016 63 million gallons
February
  • 2013 62 million gallons
  • 2015 61 million gallons
  • 2016 56 million gallons
March
  • 2013 84 million gallons
  • 2015 91 million gallons
  • 2016 63 million gallons
April
  • 2013 123 million gallons
  • 2015 108 million gallons
  • 2016 101 million gallons
May
  • 2013 208 million gallons
  • 2015 135 million gallons
  • 2016 162 million gallons
June
  • 2013 248 million gallons
  • 2015 180 million gallons
  • 2016 226 million gallons
July
  • 2013 294 million gallons
  • 2015 204 million gallons
  • 2016 257 million gallons
August
  • 2013 254 million gallons
  • 2015 196 million gallons
  • 2016 241 million gallons
September
  • 2013 195 million gallons
  • 2015 198 million gallons
  • 2016 198 million gallons
October
  • 2013 160 million gallons
  • 2015 143 million gallons
  • 2016 121 million gallons
November
  • 2013 107 million gallons
  • 2015 71 million gallons
  • 2016 70 million gallons
August
  • 2013 85 million gallons
  • 2015 65 million gallons
  • 2016 70 million gallons

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

Progress toward mandatory water reduction*

South Feather Water And Power Agency water use decreased by 19.86 percent between June 2015 and February 2016 — the nine months of the initial statewide conservation mandate — but the agency failed to meet a 36 percent reduction.
25.706
billion gallons consumed
over the same months in 2013.
20.602
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 South Feather Water And Power Agency to the State Water Resources Control Board.
Month Watering Days Complaints Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2017 Watering Days6 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2017 Watering Days3 Complaints Received30 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2017 Watering Days4 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2017 Watering Days4 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2017 Watering Days4 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2017 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthNovember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received3 Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2016 Watering Days6 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2016 Watering Days7 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received30 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received8 Follow-up Actions8 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2016 Watering Days4 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthFebruary 2016 Watering Days3 Complaints Received Follow-up Actions Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthJanuary 2016 Watering Days3 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 Days3 Complaints Received5 Follow-up Actions5 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthOctober 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received15 Follow-up Actions15 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthSeptember 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received20 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued Penalties Assessed
MonthAugust 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received70 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthJuly 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received50 Follow-up Actions30 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthJune 2015 Watering Days4 Complaints Received60 Follow-up Actions50 Warnings Issued30 Penalties Assessed
MonthMay 2015 Watering Days3 Complaints Received50 Follow-up Actions40 Warnings Issued10 Penalties Assessed
MonthApril 2015 Watering Days5 Complaints Received15 Follow-up Actions20 Warnings Issued5 Penalties Assessed
MonthMarch 2015 Watering Days6 Complaints Received7 Follow-up Actions3 Warnings Issued3 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

Capture tap water

Use a broom to clean the driveway or sidewalk

Take shorter showers

Wash cars with a bucket and sponge

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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