The Department of Utilities reports that city water customers have saved over 1 billion gallons of water in the month of July. The City’s water demands were approximately 120 million gallons of water per day last month, as compared to 154 million gallons of water per day in July 2013. This is approximately a 22 percent reduction. The water savings is equivalent to the annual water usage of approximately 6,900 homes.
City of Sacramento departments achieved a 30-percent water use reduction, compared to July 2013. The City was able to achieve this savings by implementing the following drought mitigation actions:
- Reduction in parks and recreational facility outdoor irrigation, excluding high use sports fields;
- Reducing watering of landscaped medians on City streets and roadways;
- Reduction in car washing of the City fleet;
- Placing signage in restrooms and other areas of City buildings to remind of the urgent need to save water;
- Closely monitoring water consumption in mechanical cooling systems and coil cleaning; and
- Inventorying plumbing fixtures in City facilities to find opportunities to convert to low water use fixtures.
“It is fantastic news that the city exceeded its water conservation goal,” said Dave Brent, Director of the Department of Utilities. “We truly appreciate the City’s customers for the sacrifices they’re making; however, we are still a long way from the end of the drought. We must continue aggressive conservation measures. To help hit our conservation target and avoid further water use reductions, it is important that all customers only water on the reduced watering schedule and only before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. It is also important that if rainy weather returns to the area, that people keep their sprinklers off and when they do turn on their sprinklers to not overwater.”
Increased drought awareness has brought attention to the City’s water conservation codes and has driven up calls for investigation of water misuse. Since January 1, the City received more than 11,993 calls for water conservation investigations. This is compared to 796 calls for investigation last year over the same time period.
For more information on the City’s water conservation efforts, please visit www.SpareSacWater.org or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SacramentoCityUtilities.