The District Manager for California Water Services Company says people in Bakersfield have been stepping up to meet the drought conservation goals set by the state, so he’s not sure why we fell two-percent short in the latest state survey. Rudy Valles says unusually hot temperatures in August may be to blame. Cal Water’s Bakersfield district came in at just over 30-percent in August for the 32-percent goal, while people served by Bakersfield City Water Services hit 32-percent of their 36-percent target. Valles says they’re working with the state to examine the readings in town, and up in the Kern River Valley, which showed only 16.5-percent conservation on their 28-percent goal. He suspects unoccupied vacation homes are skewing the numbers.

Suzanne Grant