Water consumers in the Hollister and Sunnyslope districts have significantly reduced use during summer months when landscaping tends to jack up overall consumption.
The Hollister water district cut use by 32 percent in July compared with 2013 numbers—the benchmark from the state in its call for a 25 percent drop in overall residential use—while the Sunnyslope district had a whopping 42 percent decline that same month, according to numbers provided by Shawn Novack, water conservation program manager for the Water Resources Association of San Benito County.
Both the Hollister and Sunnyslope numbers exceeded the overall state decline of 31.3 percent.
Sunnyslope, which is on a straight 30-day billing cycle instead of a monthly rotation, has already submitted its numbers for August and experienced a 32 percent reduction during that period, according to the figures.
“As you can see, we’re doing really well,” Novack said.
He warned that the percentage drops might not be so drastic once wintertime—when there is much less landscaping, which makes up nearly 60 percent of overall use in the summer—sets in.
His agency plans to focus upcoming efforts on education for personal water use, as Hollister and other communities continue toward the February completion of the current mandate for a 25 percent reduction.
He said local districts might have a hard time getting to a 15 percent decline in the winter, but conservation leaders will stress such habits as installing low-flow toilets, taking shorter showers and washing full loads of laundry as ways to reduce overall use.
“The fair’s going to be my big kickoff,” he said, referring to the San Benito County Fair Oct. 1-4 at Bolado Park where his agency will host a booth.
As for current efforts focused on landscaping regulations, Novack said the city’s code enforcement division, collaborating with the water agencies, has yet to issue a single ticket since the state’s mandate started in May. Instead, local agencies have opted for the “velvet glove” approach sending out hundreds of warning letters.
“It’s more that we just make sure people know about the regulations,” he said.
San Juan City Manager Roger Grimsley was not immediately available to share the city’s water figures.
Hollister Water Declines:
May: 28%
June: 29%
July: 32%
Sunnyslope Water Declines:
May: 29%
June: 34%
July: 42%
August: 32%
Source: Water Resources Association of San Benito County
