Urban and Agriculture Water Usage
Urban Water Use
Most people just turn on the bathtub faucet and never think about where their water comes from. But behind that clear flow of water is a network of water systems, providers and people who work hard to bring local families clean, healthy drinking water each day.
Bakersfield and Kern County residents get their water from a variety of sources.
In the City of Bakersfield water system, there are 50 active groundwater wells and six booster stations that pump water for residents. The city owns the water distribution system, but Cal Water Service Co. (Cal Water) operates it under contract with the city. The city also owns and operates the river channel throughout the city as well as 2,800 acres of recharge ponds along the Kern River.
Agricultural Water Use
Kern County is ranked number 3 or 4 in agricultural production in California, and in the nation. Over 250 crops are produced in Kern County, ranging from cotton to potatoes, pistachios to grapes, pomegranates to roses. There are also many dairies, poultry farms and cattle ranches in Kern County.
Agricultural Water and Food Supply
It takes lots of water to produce food for a family In fact, it takes 100 gallons of water to produce just one watermelon.
Here’s a sample of how much water an average person might “eat” in a day. (Courtesy of the California Farm Water Coalition):
Americans consume about 8 times more water in the food we eat than we do for standard household uses, such as brushing our teeth, washing our dishes and clothes, and showering. On average, it takes more than 800 gallons of water to grow the food you consume in ONE DAY. Below is a sample daily menu with the estimated quantity of water required to grow the ingredients in each meal.
