SAN RAFAEL (KPIX) — California is falling short of water conservation goals and Gov. Gavin Newsom has warned that mandatory statewide restrictions may be on the way.
In parts of the Bay Area, however, conservation is actually ahead of state targets.
Marin County residents conserved 25% more in June compared to the same month in 2020, far exceeding the state goal of 15%.
Josh Wafer is one of many residents in Marin County that has taken drastic steps to cut back on outdoor water use.
“We took our lawn out by hand with picks and shovels and got some dirt hauled away and just put some rock down,” Wafer said. “Any little change you make will add up. Just get used to it because there’s a lot of water on the planet but not a lot of usable water.”
Thanks to the residents and the storms last winter, Marin Water District’s reservoirs are at 101% of the average storage for this date.
In the East Bay, water conservation efforts got off to a slow start early this year but saw big gains in June.
The East Bay Municipal Utility District imposed a 10% mandatory cutback and exceeded that number with 12% last month. EBMUD hopes these numbers hold steady.
“At this point, it’s a matter of getting through this hot summer in a way that is smart about how we use that water supply,” said Andrea Pook, an EBMUD spokesperson.
EBMUD doesn’t foresee further restrictions being imposed until it gets an idea about how much rain next winter will bring.
Many residents who have taken measures to cut back — from changing their landscaping to shortening showers — wonder how much more they can conserve.
“Even inside, one out of four houses still has a leak so there’s still opportunities to conserve and those leaks, even though it’s a drip here and a drip there, it absolutely adds up,” Pook said.
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