The California State Water Board announced Thursday that for the first time since June 2015, the state missed the 25 percent mandatory conservation goal.
Urban water suppliers reported a cumulative savings of 24.8 percent since Governor Jerry Brown’s mandate began eight months ago. Despite that, more than 1.1 million acre-feet of water was conserved from June through this January, just 4 percent away from the 1.2 million acre-feet goal set for the end of february.
The statewide conservation rate dropped to 18.4 percent in December and to 17.1 percent in January. Average per capita water use dropped from 67 gallons in December to 61 gallons the following month.
Governor Brown ordered the State Water Board in 2015 to extend and revise the emergency drought ordinance, which the Board adopted on February 2. The updated ordinance will last until October 31.
Glendora’s conservation standard is 36 percent. The city’s cumulative savings from June 2015 to January 2016 is 31.7 percent, missing the target by 4.3 percent.
