California Meeting Water Conservation Target

State regulators say a few water suppliers would have to conserve more than 45 percent monthly to meet their conservation target by February. “One wet winter is not going to erase that deficit”.

Californians cut water use by nearly 27 percent in August, beating the state’s 25 percent mandate for a third consecutive month, the State Water Resources Control Board said Thursday. “With continued heat, the danger of more wildfires, and no way of knowing when the drought will end, every drop of water that remains in our local reservoirs and aquifers is insurance in case of another dry year or more”.

The decrease from a 31.4% water savings in July to 26.9% in August was concerning, but “we’re happy to see that Californians are showing that they have what it takes”, Marcus said. Fresno reported a 28 percent drop, hitting its goal. Oroville used 30.4 percent less, with its target 28 percent.

The Office of Enforcement is evaluating supplier responses to information orders and meeting with them, as needed, to discuss the circumstances preventing the supplier from achieving their conservation standard and the actions that can be taken to get them into compliance.

Yuba City: Savings 31.6 percent compared to August 2013; target reduction 32 percent. Glendora, Arcadia, Tustin, Pasadena, San Juan Capistrano, Brea and Norwalk were among the cities that fell short of their conservation targets. Unfortunately, massive rains in Southern California may not add to the Sierra snowpack, California’s main water supply.

So far the water board has not issued any fines.

Switching to desert landscaping is an easy way to save, something Marcus said the Coachella Valley knows how do and do well. Fifty-five water districts are close, within 1 to 5 percent of their individual goals.

Each community has a its own conservation target calculated according to the water usage reported in the respective month of 2013.

“My family operates with a 500-year vision to do all we can to help enhance and restore habitat for endangered species”, said Katie Jackson, Vice President of External Affairs and Sustainability and daughter of company founder Jess Jackson.

While the goal is a 25 percent average savings, each water district was given a water saving goal, from 8 to 36 percent water savings depending on the previous per person water use.

“This effort demonstrates what I think is the most important fundamental fact about the drought – we’re all in this together”, said Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. “California is already dealing with the impacts”.