SAN FRANCISCO - (INT) - As the state grapples with water conservation and critically low reservoirs in the ongoing drought, three in ten or more Californians (30% adults, 36% likely voters) mention water supply and drought as the most important environmental issue facing California today. Californians mention wildfires (13% adults, 14% likely voters) and climate change (11% adults, 14% likely voters) in lower and similar shares. When asked about the supply of water in their part of California, about two in three adults (68%) and more than three in four likely voters (77%) say it is a big problem—up from a year ago (63% adults, 69% likely voters). Today, solid majorities across regions and political and demographic groups say this.

When it comes to responding to the current drought, most (68% adults, 75% likely voters) say state and local governments are not doing enough; less than three in ten say they are doing the right amount (27% adults, 21% likely voters), and far fewer say they are doing too much (4% adults and likely voters). The share saying the government is not doing enough is similar to last July. Today, majorities across partisan and demographic groups and across regions are dissatisfied.

Eighty-nine percent of those polled in the Inland Empire say they have done a lot or a little to reduce their water use. Eleven percent have done nothing.

Mirroring their dissatisfaction with governmental response, 69 percent of Californians (72% likely voters) say the people in their part of the state are not doing enough to respond to the current drought, about a quarter say they are doing the right amount (26% adults, 24% likely voters), and few say they are doing too much (4% adults, 3% likely voters). Solid majorities across partisan and demographic groups and across regions say people are not doing enough.

Those findings come from a statewide survey on environmental issues conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California from July 8th to 15th, 2022.

Story Date: September 20, 2022