Shifting Water Demand

According to Metropolitan Water District projections, Orange County will not increase its share of the demand for water in Southern California during the next 20 years. Currently, the county accounts for 17% of the more than 3.3 million acre-feet of water used in the six urbanized counties of Southern California. And although county water use will increase 32% between now and the year 2010, as a percentage of regionwide use it will remain 17%. Los Angeles County, the ogre of many a water table, will actually decrease its share of the six-county total. Although it is still the dominant user, consuming 53% of the current total, that will drop to 46% in 20 years. Where will the demand increase? The Inland Empire-Riverside and San Bernardino counties-will jump from an aggregate 13% now to 18%. Here are the current shares compared to the projected demand in the year 2010:

1990 Los Angeles County: 53% Orange County: 17% San Diego County: 14% Riverside County: 7% San Bernardino County: 6% Ventura County: 3%

2010 Los Angeles County: 46% Orange County: 17% San Diego County: 15% Riverside County: 10% San Bernardino County: 8% Ventura County: 4% Sources: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California