Sacramento Area Sees Significant Drop In June Water Usage During Drought

FOLSOM (CBS13) — Several communities have greatly reduced their water usage during California's drought beyond what was called for by the state.

The San Juan Water District cut its usage nearly by half at 45 percent, Elk Grove slashed its usage by 40.4 percent, while Sacramento, Folsom and Modesto cut their June usage by more than the State Water Resources Control Board called for.

Folsom resident Scott Ward was thrilled to hear his brown lawn and shorter showers are paying off.

"We've definitely done some lifestyle changes to what we are doing with our yard, to what we are doing inside the house to everything," he said. "We don't even wash our cars."

The San Juan district's cuts mean more than 200 million gallons of water saved compared to June 2013.

Customer service manager Lisa Brown says it comes down to customers cutting back on outdoor watering.

"They are really sacrificing their landscapes," he said. "Irrigation is the primary demand for summer months."

But is that 45 percent reduction sustainable throughout the rest of the year.

"We probably won't see the 45 percent in the fall months, because there just isn't that much irrigation out there to save," Brown said. "In February, really it's all just indoor use; people don't irrigate in February, so a 36 percent reduction in water savings in indoor use is very, very difficult."

She says even with the savings, the district can't afford any slacking off.

"We really hope people continue to do over the amount," she said. "We really need over a 36 percent savings reduction in these peak irrigation months in order to meet our 36 percent overall goal."

It's a harsh reality that has homeowners like Ward concerned, because the cutbacks are far from over.

"I don't know what else we can do," he said. "It's going to have to go inside the house now, we are going to have to do it on every single aspect of our lives, keep up the hard work and figure out new ways to save water."