Water use by Rancho Santa Fe residents drops in November, according to report

San Diegans continued to cut back on water use in November, part of a 10 percent statewide reduction in consumption for the month, the state Water Resources Control Board reported recently.

State officials cheered the cutbacks, which came after some backsliding the previous month, and before December’s heavy rains.

Customers provided water by the city of San Diego used 65 gallons of water in November on average, compared to 76 in October and 82 in September, according to figures provided by the board.

November is a typical time to see less water usage, as the weather cools and rains begin. Also, tighter restrictions on water use approved by the City Council took effect Nov. 1 in San Diego.

“In many parts of California, it is clear that residents understand we are in a prolonged drought, and many continue to conserve water, even as we enjoy welcome rain and runoff that is beginning to recharge our reservoirs and groundwater supplies,” said state Water Board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus.

“That is good news because it will take far more rain and snow to get us back to normal.”

State water officials said the heavy rains of the past month have delivered only about one-third of the precipitation necessary to end a prolonged drought.

Residents of Rancho Santa Fe, the affluent North County community which drew flak last fall for using the most water in the state — 584 gallons a day in September — cut back to 376 gallons per day in November.

Reductions in consumption were also seen by customers in the cities of Escondido and Oceanside; and the Fallbrook, Helix, Lakeside, Olivenhain, Otay, Padre Dam, Ramona, Rincon Del Diablo, San Dieguito, Sweetwater, Vallecitos, Valley Center and Vista water districts, according to the state report.