California water use soars again

The reality of drought isn’t sinking in for most Californians — or maybe people just don’t care.

Cities and towns across the state have not only recently failed to meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request to cut water use by 15%, compared with a year ago, but urban water use has increased over the last year, up 17.6% in April, according to new state data released Tuesday.

The lack of conservation comes as many parts of California reel from water shortages after three dry years. While some communities have enacted local restrictions to protect supplies, many have relied on voluntary cutbacks that just haven’t panned out.

April is the third month this year, of four in which there’s data, that urban water consumption has gone up instead of down. In March, water use rose 18.9%. The increases are at least partly due to the record dry start to the calendar year, which have prompted many to keep irrigating their lawns.

Conservation was much better late last year when several fall and early-winter storms soaked the state. Those months helped maintain a cumulative statewide water savings of 2% since the governor’s call for austerity in July.

Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, which tracks urban water use, said despite the lagging efforts recently, he was “heartened” by the cumulative gain.

California water regulators are hoping that a combination of new state rules requiring communities to prepare for water shortages and recent local restrictions in several areas will bring the conservation numbers up.

Newsom has so far resisted calls to impose mandatory statewide reductions for cities and towns like his predecessor, Jerry Brown. The governor has said local leaders know best how to handle their water supplies.