Conservation down again in Dec. (February 3, 2016)

Statewide savings move closer to meeting cumulative goal despite drop

SACRAMENTO — Californians reduced water use by 18.3 percent in December, marking the third straight month that Governor Jerry Brown’s statewide mandate of 25 percent wasn’t met, according to data released by the State Water Resources Control Board.

The subpar numbers were expected, however, because opportunities to conserve water in winter aren’t as plentiful as they are in spring and summer when outdoor water use is higher, and the state — at 25.5 percent — remained above the cumulative mandate.

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Local conservation numbers were dismal, to say the least, as none of the municipalities or private water providers in the Victor Valley met their individual standards for the month of December.

Hesperia — a city with some of the most lenient water-use restrictions in the region — was the lone local water provider in the negative with regard to reductions; residents in Hesperia increased water use in December by nearly 6 percent compared to conservation efforts made in 2013.

The city has failed to meet its individual standard of 32 percent every month since the statewide mandate went into effect in May, and Mayor Bill Holland has not been shy about expressing his feelings toward the statewide standards. Holland previously called the city’s lenient water-use regulations a reality stand against Brown’s mandate, which he said was erroneous because it failed to consider previous conservation efforts.

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Customers of Liberty Utilities, Apple Valley — formerly Apple Valley Ranchos — reduced water use by 5.7 percent in December, and while those are the lowest numbers reported out of Apple Valley since the mandate went into effect, the company has managed cumulative savings just above its individual standard of 28 percent.

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Source: Matthew Cabe, Daily Press