California’s weather pattern includes the periodic dry cycles that have occurred with regularity in the past and will inevitably occur in the future. A dry cycle, or drought, together with an incomplete aqueduct system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, results in years when water in Southern California is in short supply. Virtually all state and local water officials agree that with the inevitable reduction of Colorado River water, and with the State Water Project unable to deliver the water contracted for, California is facing water short years ahead. The 1976-77 and 1987-93 droughts have served to remind us again and again that water is a precious and limited resource.

The worst drought in recent California history ended in 1993. With the end of the drought, the Board terminated the Emergency Water Conservation Plan. However, a very important and key partnership opportunity with our customers has persisted. With LBWD's assistance, customers have consistently consumed 5 percent less potable (drinking) water than in pre-drought years.

The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners and our customers recognize water conservation as a top priority in our water-resource strategy. The long-term goal of Long Beach's Water Conservation Programs is to continue to place limited water supplies at their highest and best use. During periods of inadequate water supply, effective water conservation will help stretch the 60 million gallons of potable water that are used in Long Beach each day.

For Your Home

LBWD has been a leader in indoor water conservation and we are continuously working on new and innovative ways to help you conserve our most precious natural resource while saving money.

We are actively developing other programs that we believe will assist you in learning about water and water conservation. 

To save water indoors, click on any of the following financial incentives, services and tips offered to residential customers in LBWD's service area:

For Your Business

Want to save money? LBWD, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), is continuously working on new and innovative ways to help you and your business conserve our most precious natural resources while saving money.

Whether it's rebates or conservation devices, there's a program or service available to our commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) customers in the LBWD service area.

To start saving money and water today, click on any of the following:

Education

Education and public outreach are essential to any effort to influence water use and water awareness, especially in the absence of other driving forces such as water rationing.

Customer water consumption is determined by both hardware (water using fixtures) and behavior (water using habits).

LBWD uses a variety of approaches to motivate customers to retrofit high water-using fixtures and to alter water using habits.

Education and public outreach support all conservation programs and increase customer awareness of LBWD's conservation efforts. In addition to marketing conservation programs to customers and providing information needed to put conservation principles into practice, education and public outreach are designed to promote long-term changes in customer attitudes and behaviors affecting water use efficiency.

Water Poster Contest Results