Water & Drought

Water savings in urban California slip a bit in November

In a July 2014 file photo, sprinklers run on a grassy area in front of Eaton Elementary School in Fresno.
In a July 2014 file photo, sprinklers run on a grassy area in front of Eaton Elementary School in Fresno. ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Urban Californians showed some slippage against state-mandated water conservation goals, with 18.8 percent savings in November compared to water use three years earlier.

Data showed “a mixed picture of performance by agencies across the state,” according to a news release from the State Water Resources Control Board. Savings in October were 19.6 percent and, in November 2015, 20.2 percent.

Last May, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered permanent water-use targets for the nearly 400 urban suppliers in California. The state is in the midst of a historic, multiyear drought.

Locally, Fresno reported a savings of 17.9 percent in November. Other numbers: Clovis, 21.8 percent; Visalia, 18.7 percent; and Madera, 23.2 percent.

November water conservation

Supplier

Conservation

standard

Nov. 2015 savings

vs. 2013

Nov. 2016 savings

vs. 2013

Nov. 2016 savings

vs. Nov. 2015

Bakman Water Co.

34%

8.5%

14.2%

Better

Clovis

0%

36.1%

21.8%

Worse

Coalinga

5%

37.3%

3.6%

Worse

Exeter

21%

22.5%

12.5%

Worse

Fresno

0%

30.2%

17.9%

Worse

Hanford

0%

25.3%

18.6%

Worse

Kerman

0%

31.3%

26.1%

Worse

Kingsburg

0%

46.3%

26.4%

Worse

Lemoore

0%

14.0%

40.4%

Better

Los Banos

24%

28.0%

20.5%

Worse

Madera

0%

26.4%

23.2%

Worse

Merced

0%

37.1%

35.9%

Worse

Pinedale Co. Water Dist.

14%

30.4%

24.9%

Worse

Porterville

26%

8.4%

12.6%

Better

Reedley

0%

15.3%

1.9%

Worse

Sanger

26%

14.4%

16.6%

Better

Selma

0%

41.4%

34.8%

Worse

Tulare

0%

25.2%

23.5%

Worse

Visalia

0%

33.6%

18.7%

Worse

Source: State Water Resources Control Board

This story was originally published January 4, 2017 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Water savings in urban California slip a bit in November."

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