Encinitas water districts miss conservation targets

The two water districts that provide water to Encinitas both missed their conservation mandates in December, and they continue to lag behind their cumulative goals.

Residents in the San Dieguito Water District saved 13.1 percent in December, bringing the district’s cumulative savings through seven months to 19.8 percent, according to state data released Feb. 2.

Under a state conservation requirement, the district is supposed to cut back at least 28 percent. Water districts that consistently fail to meet their goals could face fines.

With more than four years of a statewide drought, California in June began requiring that water agencies conserve.

Meanwhile, customers in the Olivenhain Municipal Water District logged a 22.3 percent reduction, with a 28.6 percent cumulative savings over the seventh months. The district’s target is 32 percent.

Water use was compared with the corresponding month in the benchmark year of 2013. Statewide, water districts cut back 18.3 percent in December. But California’s cumulative total over seven months is a 25.5 percent savings, meeting Gov. Jerry Brown’s order to slash water use 25 percent. Despite recent rain, officials say it’s still critical to conserve due to the severe drought.