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Sacramento Region Leads State In Water Conservation, Most Increased Use In Southern California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California water agencies reported a 7.5 percent drop in monthly water use in July, falling short of Gov. Jerry Brown's call for a 20 percent reduction.

Water suppliers are now required to submit monthly production numbers to the State Water Resources Control Board, which imposed statewide water restrictions in July. The board may consider aggressive steps to cut down water use further as the state deals with the third year of a crippling drought.

Some water agencies reporting increases in water use caution their numbers don't reflect their conservation efforts. For example, Whittier Public Works Director David Pesler said his city posted the largest monthly spike in July because a nearby city that draws from their water supply accidentally left a valve open.

These large suppliers (serving more than 40,000 people) reported the biggest increases in July water use compared to the previous years among 362 respondents to the state survey:

  1. City of Whittier (Los Angeles County), 20 percent.
  2. City of Redlands (San Bernardino County), 14 percent
  3. City of Hawthorne (Los Angeles County), 13 percent
  4. City of San Clemente (Orange County), 12 percent.
  5. Olivenhain Municipal Water District (San Diego County), 11 percent.
  6. City of La Habra (Orange County), 11 percent.
  7. Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (Los Angeles County), 10 percent.
  8. City of Lodi (San Joaquin County), 9 percent.
  9. City of San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo County), 6 percent.
  10. Cucamonga Valley Water District (San Bernardino County), 5 percent.

These large suppliers reported the biggest decreases in July water use:

  1. California Water Service Company Livermore (Alameda County), 38 percent
  2. City of Pleasanton (Alameda County), 37 percent.
  3. Dublin San Ramon Services District (Alameda County), 34 percent.
  4. City of Woodland (Yolo County), 27 percent.
  5. Sacramento Suburban Water District (Sacramento County), 26 percent.
  6. City of Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz County), 25 percent.
  7. Placer County Water Agency, 22 percent.
  8. City of Sacramento (Sacramento County), 22 percent.
  9. Alameda County Water District, 22 percent.
  10. Citrus Heights Water District (Sacramento County), 21 percent.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

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