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LA Mayor Applauds Residents For Helping To Curb Water Usage

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Los Angeles and other California cities cut water use by a combined 31 percent in July, exceeding the governor's statewide mandate to conserve, officials said Thursday.

The strong water conservation figures show California residents are beginning to understand the dire need to cut back in a fourth year of drought, Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, said.

"This isn't your mother's drought or your grandmother's drought," she said. "This is the drought of the century."

Gov. Jerry Brown has ordered cities to use 25 percent less water. In June, the state conserved 27 percent, compared to the same period of 2013, the year before Brown declared a drought emergency.

The city of Los Angeles topped its own 16 percent reduction goal by cutting water usage by 21 percent, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Other Southland cities did their part as well: Glendora residents, who have a tough 36 percent reduction mandate from the state, exceeded that goal in July, cutting by more than 38 percent.

Huntington Beach residents cut by 25.7 percent, ahead of the 20 percent goal, while Manhattan Beach was down 23.4 percent, besting the 20 percent goal.

Residents in Beverly Hills, on the other hand, reduced their use by over 21 percent in July well short of the 32 percent target set by the state.

Speaking on KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO, Garcetti said Angelenos obviously took his water conservation appeals to heart.

"A record number of people put more drought-friendly plants in, which is the biggest water hog," said Garcetti. "People are taking shorter showers, they're looking at better ways of getting appliances that use less water."

COMPLETE COVERAGE: California Drought

Record rain in July played a role in the savings, causing people to leave their sprinklers idle, according to data released by California Water Boards. Enforcement and strong messaging by water agencies were bigger factors, Marcus said.

"We have a movement in urban California," she said.

Regulators are turning their focus to communities failing to conserve, she said. They are making personal visits with local officials in cities that haven't responded to the mandate by Brown.

The state water board was also expected to release water conservation figures for each community.

San Diego used 29 percent less water in July. The San Jose Water Co. used 38 percent less water, and Fresno reported conserving by 31 percent.

Officials have not yet issued fines to underperforming water agencies, but they can be as high as $10,000 a day. Marcus said she favors other methods to achieve California's goals.

"I believe that peer pressure and the bully pulpit (are) going to be most effective," she said.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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