Publication Date February 2, 2016 | The Guardian

Californians let their guards down as El Niño rains drenched state

United States
‘Every drop saved today is one that we may be very glad we have tomorrow,’ Felicia Marcus, chair of the control board, said of the California drought. Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP
‘Every drop saved today is one that we may be very glad we have tomorrow,’ Felicia Marcus, chair of the control board, said of the California drought. Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

The statewide conservation rate was 18.3% in December, the water board announced Tuesday, down from a conservation rate of 20.4% in November. To calculate the monthly rates, the board compares water usage to 2013 data.

Governor Jerry Brown has called for California’s city dwellers to cut their water use 25% between June 2015 and February 2016. From June through December, the most recent statistics available, the cumulative conservation rate was 25.5%. While that still meets Brown’s goal, the cumulative rate has shrunk from November’s more robust 26.3%.