News Editor

California State University, Bakersfield’s water savings continue to grow. According to Patrick Jacobs, assistant vice president of facilities management, the university has from Jan. 1 through May 18 reduced its water consumption by 22 percent as compared with its 2013 usage levels. The 22 percent reduction amounts to 12.5 million gallons in reduced water consumption.

Under an executive order issued by Gov. Jerry Brown on April 1, all urban water consumers are required to reduce their water consumption by 25 percent relative to use in 2013. Jacobs said he expects the university to reach the 25 percent reduction mandate soon.

“I am very confident as we enter into peak watering season that our reduction will exceed 25 percent,” Jacobs wrote in an email.

Watering During the Week In response to concerns over the drought, a city ordinance prohibited the watering of lawns on Mondays. Shortly after, CSUB was the subject of a newsreel in which the university was found to be watering on Mondays. Jacobs said that the university is now in compliance with the ordinance and is no longer watering on Mondays.

However, Jacobs added that CSUB has reached an agreement with the city so that the campus may be watered Tuesday through Sunday. Under the ordinance, Bakersfield residents with even addresses are allowed to water on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, whereas homes with odd addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

CSUB’s campus consists of 375 acres of land. Reporting Monday Watering Jacobs added that anyone who witnesses instances of watering on Mondays could report such occurrences to Facilities via an email to [email protected].