Urban Water Use Efficiency
Urban water use sectors include residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and other water use sectors.
Water that is not used for agriculture or to support the environment is referred to as “urban water.” Urban water includes water that is used for:
- Drinking
- Toilets and showers
- Landscaping
- Car washing
- Businesses
- Industrial processes
Climate change, population growth, land development, and increasing regulations on water use impact our water supply, which means that we must be more diligent in conserving the water we have now, so that we have sufficient supply for the future.
Water waste costs everyone. Waste leads to higher water prices, and developing new water supply solutions such as building more reservoirs, water recycling, and desalination, are all expensive options.
To help ensure that we use our urban water supplies wisely, the Urban Water Use Efficiency program provides information and assistance to water suppliers, agencies, and the public in several areas:
- Urban water management planning and other water supplier management and reporting requirements
- Leak detection information and resources to reduce water waste
- Understanding and implementing the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)
- Commercial, Institutional, and industrial water efficient practices
- Tips on what individuals can to do save water
This section below is to provide clarity for urban water suppliers on their reporting requirements to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board).
Urban Water Management Plan
What this is
The urban water management plan (UWMP) is a comprehensive water management planning document prepared every five years in accordance with Water Code requirements. This document describes your system, operations, water supplies, and water demands and includes drought risk assessment and water resilience planning, as well as water response planning. Your Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is part of this document. It should be noted that a well-prepared plan is also useful as an introduction to your agency’s operations in the event of changing management or board members.
When to Submit
This is due every five years on July 1 on the years ending with 1 or 6, meaning the next deadline for all urban water suppliers is July 1, 2026. For those suppliers that become an urban water supplier in between planning cycles, they have one year to adopt and submit their UWMP after becoming an urban water supplier (Water Code Section 10620(b)).
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
DWR provides guidance on how to develop an UWMP in the form of a guidebook, training videos and templates for data compilation and reporting preparation.
- A guidebook is available here as a PDF: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Management-Plans
- Templates for the tables that must be submitted are available here: https://wuedata.water.ca.gov/manage_resources.asp?reportType=urban
- Training videos are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeod6x87Tu6e-Fi-louoKF2BagN-Bz_mA
Submit to DWR through the WUEdata portal at: WUEdata - Water Use Efficiency Data (ca.gov). New users will have to select the ‘sign in’ button and create an account to access the UWMP submittal section.
For assistance, email: UWMPhelp@water.ca.gov.
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
What this is
The Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is an action plan for addressing water shortages including drought. The WSCP describes water demand reduction and supply augmentation actions to be taken in the event of a water shortage pertaining to six standard levels of water shortage: 0 to 10%, 10-20%, 20-30%, 30-40%, 40-50%, and greater than 50%. The WSCP also includes an analysis of water supply reliability, procedures for conducting its annual water supply and demand assessment, and procedures for customer compliance of shortage response actions as appropriate, and other elements. The WSCP must be adopted according to a defined public process.
When to Submit
WSCP must be submitted every five years as part of the UWMP. However, they can be updated, adopted, and resubmitted any time between UWMP submittal dates, as applicable.
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
Guidance on how to develop, adopt, and submit a WSCP is included in the UWMP Guidebook.
- A training video for preparing the WSCP is recorded on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSpvT_C01U&list=PLeod6x87Tu6e-Fi-louoKF2BagN-Bz_mA&index=8&t=2s
Where to Submit
Submit to DWR through the WUEdata portal at: WUEdata - Water Use Efficiency Data (ca.gov) with your UWMP. New users will have to select the ‘sign in’ button and create an account to access the UWMP submittal section.
- DWR is currently working on a process for submitting WSCP separately to accommodate updated WSCPs that are adopted between UWMP submittal dates.
For assistance, email: wue@water.ca.gov.
Water Loss Audit Report
What this is
The validated water loss audit report assesses all the urban water supplier systems’ water losses which includes determination of ‘apparent losses’ and ‘real losses’. This report is only applicable to urban retail water suppliers; urban wholesale water suppliers are not subject to water loss reporting requirements at this time. The data is being used by the State Water Board to develop urban retail water suppliers’ water loss standards.
Annually by January 1 (1 year after calendar year audit period ends and 6 months after the fiscal year audit period ends).
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
Validated water loss audits must be validated by a qualified validator (CA-NV AWWA certified). A separate water loss audit and validation report is required for each potable water system owned or operated by the urban water supplier and must be prepared in accordance with California Code of Regulations Section 638.1 et seq. There is free software that is used for the audit
- The American Water Works Association manual M36: Water Audits and Loss Control Programs Guidebook provides information on what steps are required to establish and perform a leak detection program, as well as more information on retailer water audits.
- Detailed information can be found in the resources section at: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency/Validated-Water-Loss-Reporting
Where to Submit
Submit to DWR through the WUEdata portal at: WUEdata - Water Use Efficiency Data (ca.gov).
Detailed information and contact staff for assistance can be found in the resources section at: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency/Validated-Water-Loss-Reporting
Monthly Conservation Reporting
What this is
Monthly urban water supplier reports on potable water production and conservation activities. Total potable water production, population, and percent residential water use is always required. An expanded report including conservation activities is required when the Governor declares a drought emergency or when a water supplier invokes a water shortage level of more than 10 percent.
When to Submit
Due monthly, by the 28th of each month, for the preceding calendar month.
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
The Water Supplier Tools contain guidance for how to complete the report sections and estimate reporting values
Where to Submit
Submit to State Water Board through the DRINC Portal. New users will have to register for an account.
For assistance with this submittal process, email: Monthly-Conservation@Waterboards.ca.gov.
Annual Water Supply & Demand Assessment
What this is
Annual assessment of water supply and demand focusing on upcoming year’s estimated forecast and actions needed. This allows suppliers to anticipate potential shortages and take timely actions to meet the water needs of their customers, demonstrating reliability for the upcoming year or indicating potential shortages. This It is follows the supplier’s adopted WSCP and the procedures laid out in its adopted UWMP. Information to submit includes the following: information for anticipated shortage, triggered shortage response actions, compliance and enforcement actions, and communication actions consistent with the supplier’s water shortage contingency plan.
When to Submit
Due annually by July 1, starting in 2022.
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
Guidance is available here: https://wuedata.water.ca.gov/public/public_resources/3517484366/AWSDA-Final-Guidance-4-2022.pdf
See the DWR website here for more information and related events: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency
Where to Submit
Submit to DWR through the WUEdata portal at: WUEdata - Water Use Efficiency Data (ca.gov). New users will have to select the ‘sign in’ button and create an account to access the Annual Water Supply Demand Assessment submittal section.
For assistance, email: wue@water.ca.gov.
Annual Water Use Report (Upcoming)
What this is
The Annual Water Use Report requirements are pending rule-making by the State Water Board.
The Annual Water Use Report is an assessment of an urban retail water supplier’s Actual Water Use compared to its urban water use objective (UWUO), calculated for the previous fiscal or calendar year. The UWUO is calculated based on four water efficiency standards (indoor residential, outdoor residential, water loss, and large commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) landscapes irrigated with dedicated meters), local conditions, and any variances approved by the State Water Board for unique uses of water that could have a material effect on the UWUO. A bonus incentive for potable reuse water use is also available for qualified end uses. The Annual Water Use Report must also include reporting on implementation of CII performance measures.
When to Submit
By January 1 of each year starting in 2024 and every year thereafter, for the previous calendar or fiscal year.
Guidance for How to Prepare and Submit
Guidelines and Methodologies for calculating the UWUO, Actual Water Use, Variances, Bonus Incentives, and reporting requirements will be published on DWR’s website. Additional guidance, tools, and technical assistance will be also be developed and available on DWR’s website.
Where to Submit
When regulations and reporting requirements are finalized, submit to DWR through the WUEdata portal at: WUEdata - Water Use Efficiency Data (ca.gov). New users will have to select the ‘sign in’ button and create an account to access the Annual Water Use Report submittal section.
For assistance, email: wuestandards@water.ca.gov.
Data and Transparency
The Water Use Efficiency (WUE) data online submittal tool allows urban water suppliers or local land use agencies to submit data to the
California Department of Water Resources (DWR). This data is made available to the public through the links below:
Submitted documents and data may be viewed on the WUE Data Portal.
Resources
- CIMIS
- California Water Efficiency Partnership
- Drinktap.org
- Save Our Water
- US EPA Office of Water
- AB 1881 (Laird, 2006) Water Conservation
- Water Conservation Portal - Conservation Reporting
- Draft Guidebook for Implementation of SB 610 and SB 221 - Assistance for water suppliers, cities, and counties in integrating water and land use planning