California residents cut water use 31.3 percent in July, surpassing goal

Lake Oroville in California.
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In July, California cut its water use by 31.3 percent, exceeding a goal of 25 percent set by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in April.

Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco were among the cities that saved the most, and Beverly Hills was at the bottom of the list. "San Francisco is achieving 17 percent of cumulative savings, and that's a real success story," said Max Gomberg, climate and conservation manager at the State Water Board Office of Research, Planning, and Performance. He told Al Jazeera other cities should take a look at its "edgy, some might even call R-rated" public awareness campaign, with slogans that include "Nozzle Your Hose: Limit outdoor watering" and "Gardens Gone Wild: Use native, water-efficient plants."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.