State Water Demand to Rise 40% by 2030, Study Says

California’s thirst for water will jump by 40% over the next 25 years at current rates, with much of the water going for landscaping in the hot, dry inland valleys that will see the bulk of the population growth, according to a new study.

The nonprofit Public Policy Institute of California plotted future use from current water consumption, population growth estimates and demographic projections in the study released Wednesday. Fourteen million more people will be using 232 gallons per person per day by 2030, at the current pace.

But the institute says conservation, water planning and recycling can help meet the demand as the West struggles with water shortages.

The institute found that a 2001 state law is working well. The law requires developers to demonstrate in advance that they have lined up enough water for new residents before they start building homes.

Yet one-sixth of large municipal water utilities failed to submit water plans when last required five years ago, and other plans lacked adequate supply-and-demand projections. A Senate-approved bill pending in the Assembly would increase reporting requirements.

California has made strides in cutting indoor water use with more stringent plumbing codes and water-efficient appliances.

Outside, however, a lot of water goes to keep suburban lawns green.

And with half of all the state’s projected new residents moving to Sacramento, San Joaquin and western San Bernardino and Riverside counties, that use will increase dramatically. Half of all the water used by inland homeowners goes to irrigating yards, compared with one-third or less on the cooler coast.

Using water more efficiently is key to meeting the growing demand, said report author Ellen Hanak, an economist and researcher at the institute.

“A lot of people put too much water on their lawns. There’s a potential for cutting way back and still having a nice green lawn,” she said. Education helps, but new technology should monitor the weather and adjust accordingly, she said.

Also, California cities can follow the example of Las Vegas, promoting the use of native plants while maintaining much smaller lawns, Hanak said. New developments and golf courses, parks and roadway medians can be designed to use recycled water, as some cities are doing, said Hanak and Yvonne Hunter, a legislative representative for the League of California Cities.