L.A. Registers a 11.4% Drop in Its Water Usage : Conservation: When adjusted for changes in population and weather, the decline for August is 14.2%. The reduction further dims prospects for Mayor Bradley’s mandatory rationing plan.

Halfway through the critical month of August, Los Angeles residents are saving water in near-record amounts, pushing back the prospect of Mayor Tom Bradley’s mandatory water rationing plan well into the fall.

For the two weeks ending Aug. 15, city water users cut consumption by 11.4% compared to the same period a year ago, according to figures released Thursday by the Department of Water and Power.

When adjusted for changes in population and weather, the conservation figures soared to 14.2%--the second-highest monthly figure this year.

Officials said there appears to be widespread public acceptance of water conservation, but they could not pinpoint specific reasons for the large reduction.

The conservation rate in August is of particular concern to city officials because its hot, dry weather typically leads to the heaviest water usage of the year. And, under a city ordinance adopted last month, mandatory rationing would be implemented if the adjusted conservation figure dips below 10% in August or any subsequent month.

“That’s not going to happen this month,” said Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores, who led the effort to halt rationing as long as residents voluntarily conserve water. “We gave people the opportunity to (conserve) on their own and they are responding.”

Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who joined Flores in the vote to delay rationing, said “It validates . . . that the people of Los Angeles are capable of attaining ambitious conservation goals without being forced to” through a cumbersome and expensive rationing program.

The mid-August figures represent a rebound in conservation from July. City residents had voluntarily reduced water use an estimated 9.8% in July, after hefty cuts of 17.5% in June, 11.7% in May and 12.3% in April, according to DWP figures for adjusted water conservation. Actual water use dropped by 5.8% in July, 8.4% in June, 9.1% in May and 15.7% in April.

The voluntary saving persuaded City Council members last month to delay implementing mandatory water rationing, in favor of continuing the successful voluntary effort.

If triggered, the rationing plan would limit all residents and businesses to 90% of the water consumed in comparable periods of 1986--before the drought and the start of city-sponsored conservation efforts. Residents and businesses using more than their allotment would face surcharges for excessive water use.

“There’s no way it could go below 10% this month,” Flores said. “No way could we backslide that much.” If conservation stays over 10% on an adjusted basis through the remainder of August, the earliest that rationing could be implemented would be October.

Mayor Bradley, who favored implementing rationing months ago and has continued to press for its adoption, had warned that residents would backslide in their voluntary conservation efforts once the threat of rationing was no longer in the news.

In a prepared statement Thursday, Bradley said, “It seems the call to save water has been heard by many residents. I hope this continues.” He credited much of the saving to “our continued emphasis on the need to conserve water and the release of daily statistics about water use.”

DWP officials said they were not sure just how the water was being saved.

Jim Derry, DWP director of customer service, who heads the conservation effort, said he suspects it is a combination of several programs, including a multimillion-dollar ad campaign and two dozen “drought busters” who cruise the city looking for excessive water use.

Since May 14, the drought busters have handed out 3,500 citations for violations of the city drought ordinance, including hosing down driveways, not repairing leaks in a timely manner, watering lawns between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and allowing water to run off into the street.

In addition, the drought busters have made 5,737 “informational” contacts, in which they deliver requested information on conservation.

WATER USE IN L.A. WATER DEMANDS: Summer months are the peak months for water use in L.A. Figures in this chart based on 1979-1989 statistics show the upward curve in consumption in peak periods. PERCENT CONSERVED 1989 TO 1990 Actual water use measures number of gallons that flow from the city’s reservoirs and aquedeuct into businesses and residences. ACTUAL APRIL: 15.7 MAY: 9.1 JUNE: 8.4 JULY: 5.8 AUGUST:* 11.4 When adjusted for changes in population and weather, the amount of conservation can be even greater. ADJUSTED APRIL: 12.3 MAY: 11.7 JUNE: 17.5 JULY: 9.8 AUGUST:* 14.2 * Figures for August are for the first half of the month