Manteca’s water use in December increased at a rate three times that of housing growth.

Given that outside landscape irrigation is at a bare minimum in December, it provides an insight into in-house water use.

Outside water use typically accounts for more than 50 percent of a Manteca household’s annual water use.

Manteca used 263.8 million gallons of water last month.

That’s up 9 percent over December 2022 when water consumption was at 241 million gallons.

The city’s annual population growth rate is just under 3 percent.

The December 2022 water use was up 2.2 percent from December 2021. That is more in line with the growth rate.

Inside the house, flushing toilets is the No. 1 use of water followed by baths/showers, washing clothes, and then dish washing.

All new homes have low-flow toilets as do a number of pre-1995 houses that have been retrofitted.

Those with older homes and toilets that do not meet the current high efficiency rating of 1.28 gallons per flush are eligible for $75 rebates from the City of Manteca when they buy replacement toilets.

The rebate in most cases covers the majority of the cost of the replacement toilet. Rebates, however, can’t exceed the price of the new toilet.

Rebates are also available for high efficiency washing machines that have a water use factor of 7.1 or less. The rebate is for $100.

There is also a turf replacement program for converting to less water intense landscaping.

The rebate is $1 per square foot. There is a $650 maximum for residential users and $5,000 for commercial.

Details regarding the three rebate programs are on the City of Manteca’s website.

While the state’s reservoirs are all near normal capacity, all of takes is two or so years of below normal precipitation and available water supplies can become a concern.

Dwindling groundwater, the historic drought conditions in California that have been exacerbated by growth, and climate change have all made wise water use a key concern for jurisdictions even in normal or wet years.

And while the water year that started Oct. 1 still has three of the four wettest months to go,  last month was the fourth driest December in California for snow since measurements started to be taken in the 1850s.

Likewise, rainfall in the Manteca-Ripon-Lathrop area is lagging.

As of Wednesday, it was 83 percent of normal as 4.03 inches had fallen since July. The normal by Jan. 3 in a typical year is 4.83 inches of rainfall.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com