There’s a big difference in how local water district customers are reacting to the wet winter. State Water Resources says the January conservation rate for Bakersfield City water customers was 11.1 percent, but homeowners served by Cal Water saw a 22.7 percent conservation rate. It’s unclear why the districts right next to each other should have such a gap in conservation results. Overall, the state saw January water usage at 20.5 percent below the the 2013 level as the drought was beginning. The agency says it’s important to continue to preserve water because groundwater tables continue to be depleted and will take years to recover.

Sean Michael Lisle