originally posted on January 4, 2017

SACRAMENTO – The latest figures show Californians’ water use is still on the rise since the state lifted mandatory conservation for the drought.

California’s Water Resources Control Board released figures Wednesday showing urban Californians used an average of 77 gallons a day in November. That’s one gallon a day more than in November of last year, when urban Californians were under a mandatory conservation order because of the drought.

Southern and central California remain in a six-year drought despite heavy rains this winter. State water officials say they will discuss Jan. 18 whether the state needs to return to mandatory conservation measures as Californians’ water use edges back up.