File photo. 

Residents and businesses have broken Long Beach’s conservation record for the month of May, the Long Beach Water Department (LBWD) announced Monday.

According to a statement issued Monday afternoon, the city used 4,280 acre-feet of water last month. The last time the city used a level of water that low was in May of 1958, when the population was 45 percent less than Long Beach’s population today.

“I’m confident that Long Beach will go above and beyond to meet the state’s cutbacks,” said Robert Garcia, Mayor of the City of Long Beach in a statement. “We’ve got a good start, but we need to use this drought as an opportunity to permanently change the way we use water now and for the future.”

The state board approved water restrictions last month that will help the state achieve the 25 percent water use reduction mandated by Gov. Jerry Brown. Subsequently, the Long Beach Water Board approved a Stage II Water Supply Shortage Plan, which decreased the watering days per week from three days to two days throughout the summer. 

“This conservation record shows that Long Beach is ready to meet Governor Brown’s challenge,” said Harry Saltzgaver, President of the Board of Water Commissioners. “We need to continue this momentum.”