SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The three-year drought gripping California has shrunk reservoirs, rivers, creeks and snowpack while leaving residents drawing heavily on underground aquifers to water everything from lawns to crops.
Farmers account for about 80 percent of water used in the state, but Gov. Jerry Brown has asked California households to save water as well. Here’s a look at how it’s going and what the problems are.
Q: How are California residents doing when it comes to meeting the state’s goal for reducing water use?
A: Not as well as hoped. Gov. Jerry Brown in January declared a drought emergency, and asked Californians to cut residential water use by 20 percent. The latest figures released Tuesday by the state show that Californians managed to reduce their daily water use by only 6.7 percent in October compared to the same period last year. The closest the state’s 38 million people have come to meeting the 20 percent goal was in August, when water use was down 11.6 percent year-on-year. Still, the state Water Resources Control Board said Tuesday that Californians have saved 90 billion gallons since June – enough water for 1.2 million people for a year.
Q: Why are Californians falling so short?