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Water Conservation
Up one levelFinding enough water for growth is at the forefront of the many challenges we face in the future. Our population is growing rapidly but our water supplies are fixed and limited. More efficient water use is recognized as the single greatest source of additional water to meet future needs.
Drought and water shortage are facts of life in California. We cannot control when the next drought will come, but we can control how it affects our communities, economy and environment. Efficiency builds a more resilient water supply network so we can better prepare for hard times.
Our rapidly growing population, limited water supplies, and tightening budgets call for solutions that ensure a sufficient and safe supply of water that is reliable and economical over time.
Resources:
- Water Conservation Fact Sheet
- Association of California Water Agencies Fact Sheet
- Fact sheet on water recycling, reuse, reclamation.
- California 2030: An Efficient Future
- Details how California can cut its wasteful use of water by 20 percent in the next 25 years while satisfying a growing population, maintaining a healthy agricultural sector, and supporting a vibrant economy.
- Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California
- This great report highlights data showing how the largest, least expensive, and most environmentally sound source of water to meet California's future needs - conservation - is the water currently being wasted in every sector of our economy.
- CA Department of Water Resources California Water Plan
- The California Water Plan provides a framework for water managers, legislators, and the public to consider options and make decisions regarding California’s water future. The Plan, which is updated every five years, presents basic data and information on California’s water resources including water supply evaluations and assessments of agricultural, urban, and environmental water uses to quantify the gap between water supplies and uses. The Plan also identifies and evaluates existing and proposed statewide demand management and water supply augmentation programs and projects to address the State’s water needs.
- CA Department of Water Resources Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species
- The Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species was developed to provide guidance in selecting water friendly plants and planting materials. It also serves as a guide to assist in developing irrigation schedules for existing landscapes.
- USEPA Water Use Efficiency Program
- The site provides an overview of EPA's Water Efficiency Program which is primarily concerned with municipal water use.
- State of California General Plan Guidelines 2003
- These advisory guidelines serve as a valuable reference for cities and counties in the preparation of local general plans.
- Facing Our Future: A Balanced Water Solution for Colorado
- A Balanced Water Solution for Colorado presents a balanced approach for increasing the Front Range's water supply faster with less harm to the environment and much less controversy than water projects have faced in the past.
- CA Department of Water Resources, Water Data Websites
- This web site provides links to data sources for water bodies in California.
