California surpasses mandate to save water for a third consecutive month

State officials say Californians have surpassed a mandate to save water for a third consecutive month, using nearly 27% less in August than the same month in 2013.

The state water resources control board on Thursday released the statewide conservation figures.

Max Gomberg, a senior climate scientist for the board, said the results meet the 25% savings goal set by Governor Jerry Brown.

Gomberg also warned that Californians cannot allow themselves to be distracted by the hype of a coming El Niño weather pattern.

He said an El Niño doesn’t guarantee a wet winter for California and urged people to keep saving water.

“We need to continue the conservation efforts,” he said. “People need to keep on doing what they’ve been doing.”

The state reported savings of 27% in June and 31% in July.

The board also is expected to release figures for August showing how each community is performing. The mandate by Brown gave each city an individual conservation target based on water use in the same month of 2013, the year before Brown declared a drought emergency.

Some of the state’s largest cities contacted independently reported meeting their mandates.

Officials in Los Angeles said the city saw savings of 17% in August, beating its target of 16%. Fresno reported a 28% drop, hitting its requirement. Water use in San Diego was 21% lower, exceeding its mandated cutback of 16%.

State officials said they are working with cities and water districts that have failed to meet targeted cuts.

Gomberg said climate change – signalled by warmer temperatures, a low snowpack and intense wildfires – has made water conservation an ongoing effort.

“Climate change is not something that’s happening in the future,” Gomberg said. “California is already dealing with the impacts.”