Environment

Water Consumption

  1. Home ›
  2. Environment ›
  3. Water Consumption

AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF STEADY REDUCTIONS IN WATER USE, USAGE TICKS UP IN 2024 

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.  As of October 2020, water usage reports to the state are required for urban water suppliers. This indicator measures residential water consumption in gallons per capita per day (R-GPCD) from urban water suppliers serving San Bernardino County. 

TREND

On average, San Bernardino County residential consumers used 123 gallons of water per capita per day (R-GPCD) in July 2024, up from 110 R-GPCD in July 2023. Over the past 10 years, July water use has fluctuated, but the general trend is slightly downward, with an average annual decrease of approximately 2%.[1]  

SLIGHT DOWNWARD TREND IN RESIDENTIAL WATER USE OVER PAST 10-YEARS
Residential Gallons per Capita per Day (R-GPCD) in San Bernardino County and California, July 2015-July 2024

Note: The data include water usage for urban water suppliers serving San Bernardino County that have more than 3,000 connections or deliver more than 3,000 acre-feet of water in a year.  

Source: State Water Resources Control Board, California Urban Water Production, Statewide Use and Production Dashboard 

GEOGRAPHIC COMPARISON

San Bernardino County’s July 2022 GPCD rate of 123 is above the statewide July 2022 rate of 105 GPCD.  Within San Bernardino County, the estimated average rate ranged from a low of 66 GPCD reported by City of Big Bear Department of Water and Power to a high of 230 GPCD reported by Yucaipa Valley Water District, which serves both San Bernardino County and Riverside County residents. 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.

PER CAPITA WATER USAGE VARIES DRAMATICALLY ACROSS COUNTY
Residential Gallons per Capita per Day Among San Bernardino County Water Suppliers Reporting for July 2024

* These water districts serve portions of Riverside County as well as San Bernardino County. 

Note: This chart includes urban water suppliers serving San Bernardino County that have more than 3,000 connections or deliver more than 3,000 acre-feet of water in a year.  

Source: State Water Resources Control Board, California Urban Water Production, Statewide Use and Production Dashboard (https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/swrcb.climate.and.conservation.unit/viz/CaliforniaUrbanWaterProduction_15785959527960/StatewideUseandProduction) and Monthly per Supplier Water Supply and Demand (https://data.ca.gov/dataset/urws-conservation-supply-demand)   

[1] Water usage in July is the benchmark month for tracking because it is a relatively consistent high water use time of year that is typically not impacted by rain events and offers the greatest opportunity to show impacts from conservation actions.

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.