Water conservation improving in Merced County

California cities cut water use by a combined 31 percent in July, exceeding the governor’s statewide mandate to conserve, officials said Thursday.

In Merced County, Livingston used 5.1 percent less water than during the baseline year, making the city further from its goal, which is 32 percent, than any other water provider in the state. Leaders there maintain a large agricultural user in town should not count against city use.

The State Water Resources Control Board allows urban water suppliers the option to subtract water delivered for commercial agriculture from the total water used by the city.

Gurpal Samra, Livingston’s mayor pro tem, said the city has met its 32 percent goal if it’s allowed to subtract the amount of water used by Foster Farms, which is the city’s biggest water user.

The city has asked the water board for an exemption for the poultry producer. “We’re still waiting for the final answer,” he said.

In the meantime, Samra said, the city continues to push conservation education for residents.

Merced surpassed its goal of 36 percent in July by saving 43.2 percent, according to the numbers from the board. Los Banos made improvements, but is still a percentage point away from meeting its goal of 28 percent.

Atwater did not submit July numbers before the deadline. In June, the city remained about a dozen percentage points off its mandated target of 36 percent.

The strong statewide water conservation figures show California residents are beginning to understand the dire need to cut back in a fourth year of drought, said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the state water board.

Gov. Jerry Brown has ordered cities to use 25 percent less water. In June, the state conserved 27 percent, compared with the same period in 2013, the year before Brown declared a drought emergency.

Marcus said record rain in July played a role in the savings, causing people to leave their sprinklers idle. Enforcement and strong messaging by water agencies were bigger factors, Marcus said.

“We have a movement in urban California,” she said.

Regulators are turning their focus to communities failing to conserve, she said. They are making personal visits with local officials in cities that haven’t responded to the mandate by Brown.

The state water board was also expected to release water conservation figures for each community.

San Diego used 29 percent less water in July. The San Jose Water Co. used 38 percent less water, and Fresno reported conserving 31 percent.

Officials have not issued fines to underperforming water agencies, but they could be as high as $10,000 a day. Marcus said she favors other methods to achieve California’s goals.

“I believe that peer pressure and the bully pulpit (are) going to be most effective,” she said.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Water conservation improving in Merced County."