GrokSurf's San Diego

Mayor Jerry Sanders Fact Sheet, July 16, 2010

Mayor Jerry Sanders congratulated San Diegans for cutting back on their water use by 11% for Fiscal Year 2010, surpassing the target goal of 8%. The announcement comes a year after the city declared a drought emergency and instituted mandatory water-conservation rules.

“A year ago, I urged all San Diegans to make water conservation a conscious part of their everyday lives,” the mayor said. “They’ve clearly listened.

The city set the 8% target goal last year after its water wholesaler – the San Diego County Water Authority – announced a reduction in the amount of water it would allocate to the city. The state has been coping with an extended drought as well as water-pumping restrictions intended to protect fish and other species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region. Those restrictions reduce the amount of water that can be pumped from Northern to Southern California.

For FY 2010, the city saw significant water savings across the board: residential dropped 10.7%; commercial/industrial, 7.5%; irrigation, 20.4%; city government, 10.9%.

While applauding San Diegans, the mayor reminded everyone to remain vigilant. The city recently learned that it will receive the same water allocation this fiscal year as last – meaning the mandatory water-use restrictions will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Water-use city wide was up 5% this June compared to June 2009, the first month of the mandatory water-saving rules. “Now is not the time to take our eyes off the ball,” the mayor said. “Whether it’s taking shorter showers or shutting off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth, everyone must continue to make water conservation part of daily life.”