water conservation success & remaining potential how do we accelerate progress? juliet...
TRANSCRIPT
Water Conservation Success & Remaining Potential
How do we accelerate progress?
Juliet Christian-Smith
Pacific Institute
California Can Conserve, and Has!
• Urban– Since 1980 per capita water use has decreased
by up to 33% in some regions– Now at 192 gallons per capita per day
• Agriculture– Has invested approximately $1.5 billion of in water
conservation and efficiency upgrades (AWMC 2009)
– 60% of irrigated acreage is gravity-fed (2001)
How do we accelerate progress?
1) Provide Information
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Total Urban Use (2000) Efficient Use
Mil
lio
n a
cre-
feet
per
yea
r
Indoor Residential Outdoor Residential CII Unaccounted for Water
Waste Not, Want Not: Urban Water Conservation Potential
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Total Urban Use (2000) Efficient Use
Mil
lio
n a
cre-
feet
per
yea
r
Indoor Residential Outdoor Residential CII Unaccounted for Water
Potential Water SavingsAverages 33%
Sustaining California Agriculture:Agricultural Water Conservation Potential
• Efficient Irrigation Technology – shifting from flood irrigation to sprinkler and drip systems;
• Improved Irrigation Scheduling – using local climate and soil information to schedule irrigation; and
• Regulated Deficit Irrigation – applying RDI to almonds, pistachios, wine grapes, raisins.
Sustaining California Agriculture - Model Results
Benefits of Reducing Applied Water
• Improves water quality
• Increases the volume and improves timing of instream flows
• Reduces need for capital-intensive infrastructure
• Reduces vulnerability to water-supply constraints
2) Recognize and Analyze Successes
3) Make Policy-Relevant Recommendations
• Update water efficiency standards.• Provide financial incentives to facilitate the
adoption of water conservation and efficiency improvements, target areas with most potential.
• Improve water use monitoring, particularly for outdoor water consumption.
• Eliminate pricing policies that subsidize the inefficient use of water.
654 13th Street, Preservation Park, Oakland, California 94612, U.S.A.510-251-1600 | www.pacinst.org
Institute reports are available in electronic form without charge:
http://www.pacinst.org/publications/
Contact Information:Juliet [email protected]