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Per capita urban water usage in California has decreased by double digits percentages since 1990. See page 10 at https://pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/

by wahern 5y ago

Per capita urban water usage in California has decreased by double digits percentages since 1990. See page 10 at https://pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PI_Water_Use_Trends_June_2020.pdf https://pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PI_Water_Use_... Older cities have done even better; newer urban developments further away from the older coastal areas pulled the average state-wide decrease down. IOW, there's plenty of slack in existing cities, especially the older coastal cities, which were originally planned and built for far greater density than permitted now, and at a time when per capita usage was far greater. If anything, continuing to incentivize urban sprawl is the surest way to overburden water infrastructure, especially supply.

bobthepanda 5y ago
In fact, depending on where you live, water appliance efficiency has reduced sewer flows to the point where systems stop functioning, since a lot of systems are designed around a minimum amount of flow to make things move. Most water consumption these days comes from the state's agriculture, which bringing more residents in would not really impact since denser housing would not really go in areas that are rural.
- wyager 5y ago
  As with living in a crowded bug-hive apartment building instead of a house, reducing water consumption by making showers, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances function poorly is just masking a real decline in standard of living by clipping coins. “We’ve reduced water, power, meat, and space consumption by XX%” is not good news. That just means we’re getting poorer. Good news would be “we’ve halved the cost of water, power, meat, and space, so everyone have a good time”.
  - eli_gottlieb 5y ago
    The contradiction here is that, overwhelmingly, the most effective way to decrease the price of space (in terms of square mile per person of land) is to increase unemployment -- which basically nobody actually wants.
jeffbee 5y ago
Not just per capita but absolute. East Bay MUD total deliveries fell by half in the last 40 years while the population increased by 70%.
nradov 5y ago
Some Northern California cities are literally out of water. https://ktla.com/news/california/please-conserve-water-tourists-flock-to-mendocino-as-town-faces-severe-drought/ https://ktla.com/news/california/please-conserve-water-touri... In the Monterey Peninsula area residential building permits have been restricted for years due to a persistent water shortage. That's been going on since well before the current drought.

by wahern 5y ago

bobthepanda 5y ago

In fact, depending on where you live, water appliance efficiency has reduced sewer flows to the point where systems stop functioning, since a lot of systems are designed around a minimum amount of flow to make things move. Most water consumption these days comes from the state's agriculture, which bringing more residents in would not really impact since denser housing would not really go in areas that are rural.

wyager 5y ago
As with living in a crowded bug-hive apartment building instead of a house, reducing water consumption by making showers, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances function poorly is just masking a real decline in standard of living by clipping coins. “We’ve reduced water, power, meat, and space consumption by XX%” is not good news. That just means we’re getting poorer. Good news would be “we’ve halved the cost of water, power, meat, and space, so everyone have a good time”.
- eli_gottlieb 5y ago
  The contradiction here is that, overwhelmingly, the most effective way to decrease the price of space (in terms of square mile per person of land) is to increase unemployment -- which basically nobody actually wants.

jeffbee 5y ago

Not just per capita but absolute. East Bay MUD total deliveries fell by half in the last 40 years while the population increased by 70%.

nradov 5y ago

Some Northern California cities are literally out of water. https://ktla.com/news/california/please-conserve-water-tourists-flock-to-mendocino-as-town-faces-severe-drought/ https://ktla.com/news/california/please-conserve-water-touri... In the Monterey Peninsula area residential building permits have been restricted for years due to a persistent water shortage. That's been going on since well before the current drought.