Decoupling Urban Water Use and Growth in Response to Water Scarcity
Brian D. Richter, Kendall Benoit, Jesse Dugan, Gabriella Getacho, Natalie LaRoe, Bailey Moro, Tyler Rynne, Maria Tahamtani, Allen Townsend
Abstract
Many cities in the western US face difficult challenges in trying to secure water supplies for rapidly growing urban populations in the context of intensifying water scarcity. We obtained annual data from urban water utilities across the western US to document trends in their water usage and service populations. We found that many cities have been able to accommodate population increases while simultaneously reducing their volume of water use, thereby decoupling growth from water use. This outcome is largely attributable to reductions in per-capita residential use. We identify additional untapped potential that can sustain and widen this decoupling for many cities.