Water Use Trends in LA

Water Use Trends in LA

Figure 3. A 38-year history of water use and source supply for the City of Los Angeles. 

Source: Urban Water Management Plan, LA Department of Water and Power, 2020

The trend in total water use for the City of Los Angeles (Figs. 3 and 4) is interesting because, although the population has increased significantly since 1970, average demand has remained relatively constant between 600 and 700 million acre-ft per year and has even decreased to around 500 million acre-feet in the past few years. This is a testimony to the effects of conservation and reuse because of source limitations (competing uses, drought) and rising costs. Economic downturns may also play a role. Certainly, one way to conserve water in LA is through limiting outdoor water use (car washing, landscaping/lawns). It is estimated that watering landscaping for individual homes is about 38% of total water use. Perhaps, like Las Vegas, LA should further encourage xeriscaping and graywater use for irrigating lawns and golf courses, but more on solutions in Module 8, Part 2 next week.

Figure 4. A 50-year history of water use for the City of Los Angeles. Note that the population has grown over 1 million people during this interval (1970-2020), but the overall consumption has remained stable. 

Source: Urban Water Management Plan, LA Department of Water and Power, 2010