Water Board Receives First Report on Water Conservation Results by ACWA Staff Sep 22, 2021 The State Water Resources Control Board on Sept. 21 received updates on the drought that included water conservation data reported by urban retail water suppliers. The data compared water use in July 2021 with water use in July 2020. It showed that statewide residential water use fell 1.8% within the same month that Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his call for Californians to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% from what they used in 2020. ACWA Regulatory Relations Manager Chelsea Haines provided comments during the meeting, assuring the State Water Board that ACWA members take the voluntary conservation mandate seriously and describing the numbers as a promising start. Representatives from several ACWA member agencies also provided comments during the virtual meeting, highlighting their extensive customer education campaigns, conservation programs and efforts to make local water supplies more drought resilient. Many reminded the Board that it takes time to launch large-scale efforts to notify customers and therefore July’s figures aren’t a true representation of their efforts. Multiple agencies also provided impressive conservation numbers within the broader context of the last drought. At the same meeting, board members heard how DWR is preparing to launch a refreshed Save Our Water campaign for fall, which will help amplify the conservation message statewide. Save Our Water originated during the last drought from a collaborative effort that continues between ACWA and DWR, which manages the program. ACWA Executive Director Dave Eggerton issued a statement through a news release that underscored the contributions made by local agencies toward resiliency. “Local water agencies are implementing comprehensive actions, including water conservation and local resiliency projects, to ensure water supply reliability and promote the efficient use of water,” Eggerton said. ACWA believes the best path forward in responding to the drought is through a continued partnership between local water suppliers and state and federal agencies that empowers and builds on local water management planning to inform decisions that are best for their communities to strengthen climate resilience.”