The San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) released their draft 2020 Urban Water Management Plan for public comment earlier this month and despite developing drought conditions, the agency says it has plenty of water to meet demand for years to come.
The plan highlights how regional investments in a “water portfolio approach” to supply management and a sustained emphasis on water-use efficiency mean that San Diego County will continue to have sufficient water supplies through the 2045 planning horizon — even during multiple dry years.
“Thanks to decades of regional investments, the draft plan shows that we don’t need to secure more regional supply sources for the foreseeable future,” said Sandra L. Kerl, General Manager for the San Diego County Water Authority. “Instead, we are focused on helping our member agencies develop local supplies and looking for other ways we can continue to ensure supply reliability at a reasonable cost.”
SDCWA’s plan forecasts a regional demand increase of less than 1% per year through 2045. That includes changes in socio-economic factors, such as the number of projected housing units, the mix of single-family and multi-family dwellings, and employment growth.
The 60-day public comment period ends May 6. SDCWA must submit their plan to the state by July 1. To read the draft 2020 Urban Water Management Plan, or to submit comments, go to http://bit.ly/Water-Authority-UWMP.