New data shows backslides on water conservation amid California drought
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A severe drought prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom last summer to ask the state’s nearly 40 million residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% this year. New data released Tuesday shows few people are doing that.
Californians reduced their water use by a measly 3.9% in September, down from 5.1% in August. Overall, California has reduced its water consumption by just 3.6% since July, when Newsom made the request.
A megadrought fueled by climate change has enveloped much of the West. As California heads into what traditionally is its wettest time of the year, 80% of the state is classified as in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories.
State officials had hoped Californians’ conservation would continue to improve each month as more people learn about the drought and water agencies promote their conservation efforts. Instead, data showed none of the state’s “hydrologic” regions met the 15% threshold and two in the Central Valley region that account for 10% of the state’s population actually used more water in September than a year ago.
