New numbers show growth in local water conservation
Local water district officials are reporting new numbers as the state continues to make progress in conserving water during the historic drought.
The greatest water reduction in the Coachella Valley has come from the Desert Water Agency, which reported its customers reduced water use by 40 percent in June, compared to the same month in 2013.
The reduction means the DWA is on track to meet a state mandate that it reduce residential water use by 36 percent or face penalties.
“Palm Springs has a lot of community spirit and our customers’ willingness to step up and cut back is readily apparent when taking a drive through our town — many lawns are golden, sprinklers are off during the day and people aren’t using water to wash their driveways or sidewalks,” said Dave Luker, general manager of the water agency. “While we want to thank our customers for helping our agency reduce June water use by 40 percent, we also want to remind everyone that the hard part is yet to come. We must maintain this momentum as the hot summer months continue to get hotter here in our desert community.”
To help customers meet the goals, DWA has launched a variety of conservation programs, including providing free Smart Irrigation Controllers and investing millions of dollars in a turf removal program.
The Desert Water Agency serves Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, parts of Cathedral City and some unincorporated areas.
Additional water agencies in the Coachella Valley are also reporting positive numbers in the name of water conservation.
The Coachella Valley Water District said its customers used 21% less water in June when compared to the same month in 2013.
“Our customers have shown a strong commitment to water conservation,” said Heather Engel, director of Communication & Conservation for CVWD. “We applaud these efforts and thank our customers for making meaningful changes toward saving water.”
In conjunction with CVWD’s turf rebate program, district customers replaced 2.9 million square feet of grass in the 2014-15 fiscal year and almost 6 million square feet since the program started, according to a release.
To further assist customers in their conservation efforts, CVWD’s board of directors recently approved a 2015-16 operating budget that includes $3.2 million for conservation rebate programs.
Water reduction for the Mission Springs Water District was only down 10% for June compared to 2013. Regardless, officials said MSWD customers were only at 133 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) in June.
MSWD officials said the state will be looking for cumulative reductions over the coming months.
You can find more information on local water conservation efforts by visiting the water district’s websites below:
