A New 25-Year Plan for Los Angeles' Water Supply

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a new 25-year plan that aims to drastically reduce the amount of imported water the city relies on in a given year.

1 minute read

June 11, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


LADWP John Ferraro

The John Ferraro Building is home to the LADWP and some of the best views of Downtown Los Angeles. | trekandshoot / Shutterstock

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) board recently approved a new Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), which plots the utilities water supply plans for the next 25 years. According to an article by Emily Guerin, the new UWMP also marks a drastic change from past iterations of similar plans.

According to Guerin, on of the most important components of the WUMP is a section showing "how much water DWP can access over 25 years under different rainfall scenarios." According to the infographics included in the article, the utility uses less local water during drought years, and on average, DWP imports 87 percent of the water used in the city. The UWP, however, follows a goal set by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to reduce that average to 50 percent by the year 2035.

The article includes an in-depth discussion, with perspectives from both sides of the issue, about whether that goal is attainable. The question of whether Los Angeles has enough water to sustain a growing population over the next 25 years, as it turns out, is very much debatable.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016 in KPCC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

3 hours ago - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Blue train on coastal rail in Southern California.

SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line

Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.

March 7 - The New York Times

Woman and two children sit on bench at public transit stop waiting for tram with stroller next to them.

Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?

‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.

March 7 - Streetsblog USA