Abstract
Municipalities often face increasing demand for limited water supplies with few available alternative sources. Under some circumstances, bulk water transport may offer a viable alternative. This case study documents a hypothetical transfer between a water utility district in northern California and urban communities located on the coast of central and southern California. We compare bulk water transport costs to those of constructing a new desalination facility, which is the current plan of many communities for increasing supplies. We find that using water bags to transport fresh water between northern and southern California is in some instances a low-cost alternative to desalination. The choice is constrained, however, by concerns about reliability and, thus, risk. Case-study results demonstrate the challenges of water supply augmentation in water-constrained regions.
Highlights
California is facing an unprecedented water crisis
We examine a potential transfer from Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD) in northern California to each of three candidate municipal agencies along the coast of central and southern
Water agencies that provide water for municipal purposes to more than 3000 customers are required under California law to prepare an urban water management plan (UWMP) every five years [15]
Summary
California is facing an unprecedented water crisis. Population continues to increase and environmental water demands are growing, yet a multi-year drought has plagued California since 2009. Municipal water agencies in central and southern California have implemented demand-side management and found ways to use existing supply sources more effectively. The challenge for municipal water agency managers in California is to find new sources of water, either imported from other regions or previously untapped local supplies, at relatively low cost. In this paper we consider bulk water transport as a means by which coastal communities in central and southern California could augment existing supplies. HBMWD is currently seeking a use for water recently made available by industrial plant closures in its service territory This is an appealing location for testing the economic feasibility of water bags because the costs and controversy that often plague inter-regional water transfers are minimal. We discuss risk factors and reliability concerns that further influence a water agency’s decision of how best to augment water supply
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