Conference Presentation, Panel
The Water Challenge: Doing More with Less
Milken InstituteRodney Smith, Sanjay Gaur, Susan Leal, Andy Lipkus, Frances Phoebe Weber, Karen Ross, Moss, Carolyn Jungermann Bennett, Sanjeev, John McDonald Jr., Alec, Jim McDaniel, Marine Stapleton
- Volatility in precipitation is increasing, causing a shift from low to high risk as water demand rises, with reliability becoming more elusive for aging agricultural operations and recent zero allocations in the Central Valley indicating a fundamental break in reliance patterns.
- Cropping patterns are expected to shift toward higher-value crops, increased land fallowing, and potential reductions in beef and dairy consumption due to their high water footprints, as water moves toward areas with the highest economic return.
- Water management will increasingly integrate surface and groundwater, with a deadline-driven need for local groundwater sustainability plans that may require two and a half years or more to implement effectively in some communities.
- Significant investments in metering, sensor technology, weather stations, and real-time data are viewed as essential for improved decision-making, with costs potentially exceeding $100 per average customer within the next four to five years.
- Strategies to increase local supplies include stormwater and rainwater harvesting, aiming for at least a 30% supply increase through DWP's master plan, alongside graywater systems and potential future desalination investments treated as insurance policies.
- Infrastructure projects like the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and potential new reservoirs are long-term endeavors focused on moving water efficiently without harming wildlife, though their viability and funding remain subjects of ongoing evaluation.
- Municipalities like Los Angeles project increasing local water reliance from 11% to 36% by 2035, necessitating double-digit rate increases over a five-year period to fund the considerable investment required for these new systems.
- Behavioral changes, consumer education, and rate design reforms to avoid penalizing conservation are identified as critical, alongside the potential for energy companies to invest in distributed smart rainwater harvesting grids.