MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES LA CITY SURPASSES STATE WATER CONSERVATION TARGET
Angelenos cut water use 21% in July and 18% since June, as Customers Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Saving Water
LOS ANGELES – Mayor Eric Garcetti announced today that the City has succeeded in meeting the State’s water conservation goals for the second straight month, achieving a 21 percent reduction in water use in July 2015 compared to the 2013 baseline, and a cumulative reduction of 18 percent since June 2015.
“Los Angeles continues to lead our state in crucial water conservation efforts in the face of this historic drought,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “I want to thank the Angelenos that have helped us exceed these goals by replacing their turf with drought friendly landscaping, increasing their indoor water efficiency and, of course, by Saving the Drop. Los Angeles is embracing sustainability and achieving real change.”
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power General Manager Marcie Edwards praised L.A. residents and businesses for stepping up to meet the State’s mandatory conservation targets. The City previously surpassed Mayor Eric Garcetti’s first benchmark goal of 10 percent water reduction by July 1, 2015 and is on track to meet the goals set forth by the Mayor in his Executive Directive
“This is a great achievement that demonstrates the city’s commitment to sustainability and our customers’ willingness to make lifestyle changes and save water during this drought,” Edwards said. Customers have been taking advantage of LADWP’s many rebate and incentive programs, which help reduce customers’ costs and save water.
Under the State’s mandated conservation targets, LADWP must reduce water consumption by 16 percent each month over a nine-month period, from June 2015 through February 2016, as compared to the amount of water use during those months in 2013. In July, L.A.’s customers used over 2 million gallons less than the state target.
LADWP is also on track to meet the Mayor’s Executive Directive No. 5, which calls for a 20 percent reduction in water use per capita by 2020. Water use for the year ending June 30, 2015 was 113 gallons per capita per day (GPCD), compared to 131 GPCD for the year ending June 2014, a reduction of more than 13 percent. LADWP is on track to meet the Mayor’s next benchmarking goal of 111 GPCD by Jan. 1, 2016.
“Everyone has done an amazing job, especially considering we’ve been cutting back during the summertime, which is the time of year when people typically use more water because of the hotter weather,” said Marty Adams, Senior Assistant General Manager – Water System.
LADWP attributes the water conservation achievements to a combination of incentives and mandatory watering restrictions. LADWP residential and commercial customers have removed a total of 23.5 million square feet of turf, saving about 850 million gallons per year of water, through the “Cash in Your Lawn” Turf Replacement Rebate Program from 2009 through the end of fiscal year 2014/15.
Customers are also largely following the mandatory three-days-per-week, 8 minutes per station watering restrictions required by Phase 2 of the Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance. The Mayor has called on Angelenos to voluntarily reduce their watering to two days per week, 8 minutes per station. In July, LADWP received 1,990 reports of water waste and only 10 violations that escalated to monetary fines.
Although the State targets have been met so far, the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and the City Council have taken steps to enable the City to go to Phase 3 of the Emergency Water Conservation Ordinance the first time a monthly target is missed. Phase 3 would reduce outdoor watering to two days a week as well as invoking additional water restrictions.
