Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  • Environment
  •  

Caltrans Trying To Cut Water Use In Half

  •  Katie Orr 
Monday, August 17, 2015 | Sacramento, CA
Richard Vogel / File / AP

FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2014, file photo, morning traffic makes its way toward downtown Los Angeles along the Hollywood Freewaympast an electronic sign warning of severe drought.

Richard Vogel / File / AP

Caltrans maintains more than 30,000 acres of landscaping along state highways. The transportation agency says it’s trying to reduce its water use by 50 percent. 

Gilbert Mohtes Chan, with Caltrans, says the agency has installed smart meters to control landscape irrigation, which accounts for 75 percent of the agency's water use.

"Beyond our landscaping we’re also reducing use at our facilities," he says. "We’re, for example, cutting back on washing our vehicles, using recycled water."

Mohtes Chan says Caltrans used more than 7 billion gallons of water in 2013 and reduced that to about 5 billion last year. He says the agency is on its way to meeting the 50 percent reduction goal.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about drought

  • State Of Drought

    Reservoir levels are at historic lows, municipalities are ordering mandatory conservation and farmers are bracing for water shortages. CapRadio is following how Californians are being impacted by the drought.

 droughtcaltranswaterDrought 2015

Katie Orr

Former Health Care Reporter

Katie Orr reported for Capital Public Radio News through December 2015.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

What’s left for California lawmakers to tackle in their final month

August 1, 2022

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

In California, abortion could become a constitutional right. So could birth control.

August 7, 2022

Most Viewed

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

California coronavirus updates: How many animal species have been infected with COVID-19? Scientists are still trying to find out.

New variants, wastewater data, long COVID: What Sacramento region experts are watching

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

California coronavirus updates: How many animal species have been infected with COVID-19? Scientists are still trying to find out.

New variants, wastewater data, long COVID: What Sacramento region experts are watching

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.