State’s water saving slips

California is not out of the woods just yet with respect to the drought as state water officials estimate most water recipients could receive up to 30 percent of their allocation this year.

With more than 1.1 million acre-feet of water conserved from June 2015 through January, the state’s 96 percent of the way toward reaching its goal of 1.2 million acre-feet of water to be saved by the end of February.

“Californians have risen to the occasion as never before”, water board chair Felicia Marcus said. The State Water Resources Control Board says that on Thursday it will provide the figures for January, the eighth month of mandatory conservation.

But the valley’s water-saving efforts improved last month as El Niño-driven winter storms helped lead to less outdoor watering. Since June, when the water-cutback requirements went into effect, DWP customers have cut their use by a cumulative 16.4 percent, putting the agency just ahead of its state-set mandate, according to the State Water Resources Control Board.

Several Bay Area water districts are among those that will benefit from an increase in predicted water deliveries announced by state officials Wednesday.

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a drought state of emergency on January 17, 2014 and followed up with statewide water conservation mandates.

Through January, California has saved 1.1 million acre-feet of water, or about 374 billion gallons – the equivalent of filling Irvine Lake 40 times. Since last June, however, the savings rate is 20 percent.

“Today’s increase, although good news, does not mean the drought is ending”, said DWR Director Mark Cowin.

“Residents and suppliers are making the necessary sacrifices”, said Buffleben. Its largest customers include the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

“We’re hoping for every raindrop and every snowflake we can handle”, Marcus said.

Overall, though, state officials are pleased with how seriously Californians have taken the drought, which on Thursday tempered their disappointment over declining savings month-over-month. “And a warm and dry February has proved that we can’t count on El Nino to save us”. “We have to keep it up”.

In December, Californians used 18 percent less water, falling short of the target for a third straight month.