Climate change will have significant impacts on California water supply and demand. Research shows that the state’s changing climate will lead to increased water use in cities and suburbs, while water supply is expected to diminish. The rates at which conservation practices are put into place, and the degree to which they are continued, will have a major effect on future water use. But even with state mandates, urban water use is expected to rise quickly, at a time when state agencies are projecting reduced water supply from snowmelt and runoff.

The Urban Water Demand to 2100 model is a free tool from the Pacific Institute to help water managers to forecast urban water demand with four global climate change models, and to compare different possible futures to the year 2100 by altering greenhouse gas emissions, population projections, conservation and efficiency measures, and more in the models.

Tool: Urban Water Demand to 2100 model