PPIC Releases Fact Sheets on California Water Use by ACWA Staff Apr 21, 2023 Water News The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in April updated its most popular fact sheet, “Water Use in California” while adding three new fact sheets that specifically examine water use in communities, the agricultural sector and the environment. Highlights from each document include: Total urban use has plateaued, even though California’s population grew by 5.5 million from 2000 to 2020. Initial water savings came mainly from more efficient indoor plumbing and fixtures; more recent efforts have also focused on reducing outdoor use, which accounts for nearly half of all urban use. Larger utilities have been investing in conservation, storage, new supplies, and interconnections with other utilities to improve drought resilience and adapt to the changing climate. As costs grow, so does the challenge of keeping rates affordable. More efficient water delivery and irrigation systems have improved crop yields and quality, reduced water applied per acre, and benefitted water quality. But they have also reduced major sources of groundwater recharge: seepage from unlined canals and excess irrigation. New approaches can make more effective and efficient use of environmental water. Allocating a portion of supplies to the environment—rather than managing for restrictive minimum flow requirements—will help improve freshwater systems’ health. The fact sheets can be downloaded in English and Spanish on the PPIC website.
