Figures released by the state water board on April 7 show that the state as a whole did not get a good head start on the Governor’s call for a 25 percent water reduction. Californians reduced per capita use by 2.8 percent in February of this year, compared to the February 2013 baseline period. Reporter Dan Stork tells how some selected areas—including ones closer to home—stack up…
The South Coast region of the state, which includes 56 percent of all residential water customers in the state, actually used more water in February of this year than it did two years ago, by 2.3 percent. Our own Colorado River region was one of two areas among the 10 state regions that grew in water usage, by one-half of one-percent. The Sacramento River region showed the greatest conservation improvement, with a 14.2 percent savings. Within the Morongo Basin, Hi-Desert Water District usage grew by 1.1 percent, Twentynine Palms saved 16.1 percent, and Joshua Basin Water District saved 7.5 percent. But conservation history doesn’t tell the whole story—let’s look at per-person usage.
The statewide average individual usage is a bit less than 77 gallons per day, with San Francisco and Santa Cruz among the most water-frugal, at 44 gallons per day. Locally, Hi-Desert Water District had the lowest usage in the Colorado River region, at 59 gallons per person, with Twentynine Palms usage measuring 73 gallons and Joshua Basin 91. The Myoma Dunes District, which covers Bermuda Dunes, and has few people but serves a big golf course, uses a whopping 379 gallons per resident per day. The much more populous Desert Water Agency (covering Palm Springs), and Coachella Water District weigh in at 221 and 282 gallons per person. San Diego and Los Angeles DWP beat the state averages, at 59 and 69 gallons per person, while the Santa Margarita District, slated to be a recipient of Cadiz groundwater, beats Joshua Basin, at 85 gallons.
The state water board cautions careful interpretation of all statistics, as densely populated and newly-settled areas use less water per capita than do rural and older areas, and some people—particularly lower income people—may adjust their usage to water rates.
You’ll find more statistics, and links to even more, within this story at z1077fm.com.
Story sources:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/drought/conservation_reporting_info.shtml
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2015/pr040715_rgcpd_febconservation.pdf
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/drought/docs/rgpcd_2015feb.pdf
