Environment

Water Consumption

Water Usage May be Inching Up

Given San Bernardino County’s arid climate, effective water management is essential to ensure that the county has an ample water supply now and in the future. This indicator measures estimated residential water consumption in gallons per capita per day from larger water suppliers serving San Bernardino County.1 The water suppliers providing usage data serve approximately 1,430,000 county residents (or roughly 66% of the total San Bernardino County population).2

Given San Bernardino County’s arid climate, effective water management is essential to ensure that the county has an ample water supply now and in the future

How is San Bernardino County Doing?

TREND

On average, according to data by water districts reporting usage statistics, San Bernardino County residential consumers used an estimated 143 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) in July 2020, up from 132 GPCD in July 2019.3 However, since the districts that report usage vary from month-to-month, a definitive trend analysis is not possible.

GEOGRAPHIC COMPARISON

San Bernardino County’s July 2020 GPCD rate of 143 is above the statewide July 2020 rate of 117 GPCD. Within San Bernardino County, the estimated average rate ranged from a low of 60 GPCD in Lake Arrowhead to a high of 241 GPCD in Redlands. Residential water usage can differ due to regional variations in climate, precipitation, land use, tourism, income, and local supplier water costs, usage regulations, and conservation programs.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AVERAGE WATER USAGE HIGHER THAN STATE

Estimated Residential Gallons per Capita per Day Among San Bernardino County Water Suppliers Reporting for July 2020

Note: This chart includes urban water suppliers serving San Bernardino County that have more than 3,000 connections. City of Chino, City of Colton, Cucamonga Valley Water District, City of Redlands, Twentynine Palms, Victorville Water District, and West Valley Water District did not submit July 2019 data to the State Water Resources Control Board.

Source: State Water Resources Control Board, June 2014 – July 2019 Urban Water Supplier Monthly Reports (www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/conservation_portal/conservation_reporting.html)
1As of November 2017, water usage reports to the state are voluntary for urban water suppliers. Consequently, suppliers reporting data varies from month-to-month.     2Population data are sourced to the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Department of Finance, Table E-1, January 2020 3The countywide GPCD average was calculated by averaging the GPCD rate for each supplier and is meant to be a rough estimate of countywide usage.