Hill water customers using less water in 2024

Last week, the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced
that the state’s groundwater supplies were improving. Although more
groundwater is needed, the rain year 2023, which was October 2022
through September 2023, resulted in significant increases in the state’s
groundwater inventory.

Many of California’s urban areas rely on surface water, such as the
Colorado River project transferring water to Los Angeles. But Hill
residents and visitors are much more dependent on groundwater. Only two
of the local water districts — Idyllwild and Fern Valley — use any
surface water. Pine Cove relies exclusively on groundwater.

However, groundwater supplies on the Hill are not threatened as in the
lower elevations. While the winter of 2023 removed the drought
conditions and water emergencies, these could return in the future,
especially if the possible La Niña weather pattern forms and continues
for several years.

But supply seems safe and Hill water consumers are conscious of the need
to conserve.

In the first four months of 2024, usage had declined in all three
districts compared to 2023. Idyllwild Water District (IWD) had the
greatest decrease: 2.2 million gallons or 7.8%. However, usage is
greater in IWD. It’s the largest of the three districts. Much of the
commercial customers are located in IWD.

In Fern Valley Water District (FVWD), the 1.4 million gallon savings was
equivalent to a 14.9% drop. Pine Cove Water District’s (PCWD)
consumption fell 4.5% also.

Comparing consumption for all of 2023 to 2022 and to the 10-year
average, the results are similar but some significant differences do
stand out. During the drought, water consumption in 2022 was greater
than the 10-year average, as expected. But the drought ended in 2023
with massive winter precipitation. Water consumption fell in both FVWD
and PCWD. However, usage continued to increase in IWD, much of that
between August and December. As noted above, this year consumption, in
IWD has been declining since January.

During the 10 years, the highs and lows were similar as expected. The
greatest water consumption for IWD was 97 million gallons in 2019 and
2015 had the lowest with 77 million gallons. In FVWD, the largest volume
of consumption was 36.7 million gallons in 2020, and the lowest was 30.9
million gallons in 2015. PCWD recorded 38.7 million gallons — its
highest — in 2020 and again 2015 saw the least water consumption in the
past 10 years at only 31.7 million gallons.

But it is clear that as the last drought began and became drier, water
consumption grew until the districts imposed water emergency conditions
that encouraged effective conservation for the next three years, thus
demonstrating that Hill residents understand the need for water
conservation and do respond successfully.