Urban water use sectors include residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and other water use sectors.
Water that is not used for agriculture or to support the environment is referred to as “urban water.” Urban water includes water that is used for:
Climate change, population growth, land development, and increasing regulations on water use impact our water supply, which means that we must be more diligent in conserving the water we have now, so that we have sufficient supply for the future.
Water waste costs everyone. Waste leads to higher water prices, and developing new water supply solutions such as building more reservoirs, water recycling, and desalination, are all expensive options.
To help ensure that we use our urban water supplies wisely, the Urban Water Use Efficiency program provides information and assistance to water suppliers, agencies, and the public in several areas:
As of December 3, 2018, the following UWMPs have been submitted to DWR:
425 Urban Water Suppliers
11 Suppliers voluntary (not required)
6 Regional Alliances
Submitted documents and data may be viewed on the WUE Data Portal.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) have released a final version of their summary document on the water conservation bills made into law in 2018.
SB 555 added Section 10608.34 to the California Water Code, requiring DWR to establish rules for conducting and validating water loss audits, technical qualifications for persons performing water loss audit validation, and reporting requirements for submitting validated water loss audits to the Department.