California Water Plan Highlights Dec 2005

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j(1. Actions to Ensure Sustainable Water Uses To minimize the impacts of water management on California's natural environment and make certain that our state continues to have the water supplies it needs, Californians must use water efficiently to get maxi- mum utility from existing supplies. Californians are already leaders in water use efficiency measures such as conservation and recycling. Because competition for California's limited water resources is grow- ing, we must continue these efforts and be innovative in our pursuit of efficiency. Water use efficiency will continue to be a primary way that we meet increased demand. In the future, we must broaden our definition of efficient water use to include other ways of getting the most utility out of our groundwater and surface water resources and water management systems: • Increase levels of urban and agricultural water use efficiency • Increase recycled municipal water and expand its uses • Reoperate water facilities to improve their operation and efficiency • Facilitate environmentally, economically, and socially sound transfers to avoid regional shortages • Reduce and eliminate ground- water overdraft As California's population grows from 36.5 million to 48 million, there is bound to be an effect on Cali- fornia's environment. By wringing every bit of utility from every drop of water, Californians can stretch water supplies for continued economic, social, and environmental health. California must also protect water quality to safeguard public and environmental health and secure the state's water supplies for their intended uses. Water supply and s � � water quality are inseparable in water management. While imple- menting projects to reduce water demand or to augment supply, water managers must employ meth- ods and strategies that protect and improve water quality: • Protect surface waters and aquifers from contamination • Explore new treatment tech- nologies for drinking water and groundwater remediation • Match water quality to its intended uses • Improve management of urban and agricultural runoff • Improve watershed management California Water Plan Update 2005 is a roadmap for meeting the states water demands through the year 2030. _T