SLO County cities exceed water conservation goals in August

All San Luis Obispo County communities surveyed by state water regulators exceeded their conservation goals for August — though none of the local water suppliers saved as much water as they did in July.

A rare summer storm that hit the county in July may have contributed to the lower water use numbers that month, local officials said, as it gave people a chance to cut back on outdoor irrigation.

“Even a tiny bit of rain, any little thing like that will completely change the numbers because we’re all running on very low water usage,” Grover Beach Public Works Director Greg Ray said.

Statewide, Californians reduced their water use by nearly 27 percent in August, exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25 percent conservation mandate for the third straight month, the State Water Resources Control Board announced Thursday.

But the conservation rate for August fell from July’s record of 31.4 percent water savings, state regulators said. And water use traditionally drops in the fall and winter, so overall savings will likely become more incremental.

The state’s water conservation regulation requires urban water suppliers to save a targeted amount of water based on their usage levels and to provide monthly water use reports to the state.

In August, 406 water suppliers submitted reports, including eight in San Luis Obispo County. The Cambria Community Services District did not turn in its numbers by the state deadline.

Water agencies with fewer than 3,000 connections, such as suppliers in Los Osos and other unincorporated communities, were not surveyed but must reduce water use by 25 percent.

The most recent survey compared water use in August 2015 with August 2013.

Arroyo Grande residents achieved the largest water savings at 36 percent, followed by the Nipomo Community Services District and the city of Paso Robles, which both saved about 34 percent. All of those communities have a conservation target of 28 percent.

Grover Beach cut its water use by 32 percent, Ray said, far above the city’s 8 percent conservation target. Ray said he incorrectly reported the city’s water production for August, leading the state to report only a 1.3 percent savings, but has submitted a correction.

Atascadero Mutual Water Co. customers cut water use by 31.9 percent, above the 28 percent conservation standard.

Pismo Beach residents saved 25.5 percent, just exceeding their 24 percent conservation goal.

Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, which both have 12 percent conservation targets, cut use by 19.6 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively.

For more information, go to http://www.waterboards.ca.gov.

How local cities' water use compares

Eight water suppliers in San Luis Obispo County were included among those surveyed by the State Water Resources Control Board. The most recent survey compared water use in August 2015 with August 2013.

Water agencies with fewer than 3,000 connections, such as suppliers in Los Osos and other unincorporated communities, were not surveyed but must reduce water use by 25 percent.

* Grover Beach Public Works Director Greg Ray said he incorrectly reported the city’s water production for August, leading the state to report only a 1.3 percent savings, but has submitted a correction.

Source: State Water Resources Control Board

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 1:13 PM with the headline "SLO County cities exceed water conservation goals in August."