SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s system of mandatory conservation imposed on cities got off to a strong start with water use dropping 27 percent in June, regulators said Thursday.
Data released by the State Water Resources Control Board showed 265 of 411 local agencies in California hit or nearly reached savings targets.
Gov. Jerry Brown ordered cities to reduce water use by 25 percent to prepare in case California’s four-year drought persists.
The savings came during the hottest June on record, which would normally lead to an uptick in water use. Previous savings have occurred during unusually wet months.
“The June numbers tell a story of conscious conservation, and that’s what we need and are applauding today,” said Felicia Marcus, chairman of the water board. “We need to save as much as possible. That is water essentially in the bank for a future dry year or more.”
The agencies that met or came within 1 percent of their mandatory water conservation target serve 27 million Californians.
Under water-board regulations for mandatory water savings, communities have nine months to hit assigned conservation targets as high as 36 percent. Water savings are compared to 2013, the year before Brown declared a drought emergency.
The water board is separately telling thousands of farmers that there is not enough water available to divert from rivers and streams under their rights.
Multiple irrigation districts have been challenging the curtailment in court.
A Sacramento County judge indicated at a Thursday hearing that she would side with the state’s new approach to warning of insufficient supplies after she ruled that earlier notices violated farmers’ rights.