The State Water Resources Control Board announced on November 1, 2016 that urban Californians’ monthly water conservation was 18.3 percent in September, up from 17.5 percent in August but below the 26.2 percent savings in September 2015, when state-mandated conservation targets were in place.
The State Water Board stressed the need for continued conservation as California heads into a possible sixth drought year.
The cumulative statewide savings from June 2015 through September 2016 was 23 percent, compared with the same months in 2013. Since June 2015, 2.15 million acre-feet of water has been saved — enough water to supply more than 10 million people, or more than one-quarter the state’s 38 million population, for a year.
Although October storms in Northern California provided an encouraging start to the 2016-2017 water year (Oct. 1, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2017), planning for the possibility of another dry winter is essential. The State Water Board will continue to monitor conservation levels and water supply conditions, and staff will develop a proposal for extended emergency conservation regulations in January 2017. The proposal may include a return to state-mandated conservation if dry conditions prevail.
Conservation Data
- Statewide water savings for September 2016 was 18.3 percent (116,703 acre feet or 38.0 billion gallons), an increase from August 2016’s 17.5 percent savings, but a decrease from September 2015’s 26.2 percent statewide savings (55.9 billion gallons). September 2016 water savings are 32 percent lower than September 2015.
- Cumulative statewide water savings for June 2015 to September 2016 (sixteen months) was 23.0 percent, compared with the same months in 2013. That equates to 2,145,241 acre-feet (699 billion gallons).
- Statewide average per person water use for September 2016 was 105.9 residential gallons per capita per day (R-GPCD), below the 113.7 R-GPCD in August 2016 but above 96.9 R-GPCD reported for September 2015. All September data can be found on this page.
Conservation levels have remained significant for many communities that had certified that they did not need state-imposed mandates to keep conserving.
