water not.

“We have altered the driest parts of California to fulfill our ambitions, and for
years we have been able to ignore their natural limits. Now a growing
population and a changing climate are pushing those limits as never before.”
—National Geographic

Most of the state’s reservoir levels are

well below 50%

of their historical average and the current deficit
is around 12 trillion gallons of water.

— California Department of Water Resources, October 2015

how it flows.

On average, 14.4 million acre-feet of surface water is
transported across the state every year to supply urban
and agricultural areas through a complicated network of
reservoirs, dams, canals and aqueducts.

— California Department of Water Resources

where it goes.

Environmental

Water for “wild and scenic”
rivers, required Delta outflow,
instream flows, and managed
wetlands

Agriculture

Water for crop production on the
43 million acres of agricultural
lands in California

Urban

Water for residential,
commercial and industrial
uses, and large landscapes

— Public Policy Institute of California

April 2015
California Governor Jerry Brown declares a State of Emergency
throughout the state due to severe drought conditions
and mandates

25% reduction

of urban water use across state.

waste not.

The average household in California uses 178 gallons of water per day.
Do your part to reduce your water consumption by at least 25%.
—Public Policy Institute of California

AVERAGE INDOOR
household usage.

Reduce Replace old toilets with
a low-flow toilet. Put a brick
in your toilet’s tank to displace
water and use less water per
flush. Flush only when
necessary.

Toilets use

1.6 gallons/flush

older models:

3.5 – 7 gallons/flush

wc2
washer

Washers use

25 gallons/load
older models:
40 gallons/load

 

Reduce Only run a full load, or
match water level to load size.
Re-use your towels to cut down
on use. Re-route grey water for
garden irrigation.

Showers use

17%

2 gallons/minute
standard showerheads:
5 gallons/minute

 

Reduce Shower for less than 5
minutes. Turn shower off
while washing your hair and
lathering. Collect running water
while shower is heating to use
for other water needs.

faucet

Faucets use

1 gallons/minute
older fixtures:
over 2 gallons/minutes

 

Reduce Install aerators on faucets
to limit the flow of water. Rinse
fruits and vegetables in a pot of
water, and re-use the water to
water house plants. Use less dish
soap when washing dishes to
require less rinsing.

Leaks use

14%

5 gallons/day for a
leak with 1 drip/second

 

Reduce Check your faucets,
shower heads, and toilets for
leaks. Monitor your bill and water
meter to help discover leaks.

bathtub
dishwasher

Other uses

Bathtubs
36 gallons/bath

up to:

72 gallons/bath

 

Reduce Take a short shower
rather than a bath. Fill tub half
way or less. Bathe young
children together.

Dishwashers

6 gallons/cycle
older models:
16 gallons/cycle

Reduce Use a dish washer rather
than wash dishes by hand. Only
run the dishwasher when it’s full.

landscapes and gardens.

50%

outdoor watering can
account for half of
total household use

Reduce Sweep patios, decks,
and driveways. Replace turf with
drought tolerant native plants.
Adjust watering schedule each
month to match seasonal
weather conditions and
landscape requirements. Group
plants with the same watering
needs together. Water your
plants deeply but less frequently
to encourage deep root growth
and drought tolerance. Collect
rain water for irrigation.

it’s working

60 million gallons
of water were used
in the state during
the time it took for
you to read this
article

California’s urban water suppliers have exceeded the statewide
conservation goal of 25% with a cumulative savings over the last
3 months of 611,566 acre-feet, or 28.7% less water as compared
to the same time in 2013. — California Water Boards, October 2015

let’s keep going…

every drop counts

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GOAL 1.2 million
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