LOS ANGELES — Despite official calls to increase conservation amid worsening drought, urban water use across California increased by nearly 19% in March, according to figures released Tuesday.
When compared to March 2020 — the year the current drought began — average water use in cities and towns across the state increased 18.9%, according to the California State Water Resources Control Board.
The increase was even greater in the South Coast Hydrologic Region, which is home to more than half the state’s population. In this region, which includes Los Angeles, urban water use increased 26.9%.
