31.2 Per Capita Water Use

This indicator is part of Sustainable water supply.

Indicator description:                                                           

This indicator measures per capita water usage--the total amount of water pumped from the ground divided by our population and compares usage levels to peer communities. All of the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial water use as well as the unaccounted for water use (UAW) is included in the total amount pumped. Therefore, this indicator includes the water we use at home, at work and play, water used in schools and other public facilities, plus the processed water used by industries, and any leakages in the delivery system. Water obtained from other systems, such as Conservancy District or Kirtland Air Force Base water, is excluded. Per capita water use shows water usage over time, taking into account the population increase, which helps determine progress toward water conservation goals.

Why is this indicator relevant?

Water conservation is an essential element of the City's strategy to ensure a sustainable water supply. In 1995, the City adopted the water conservation ordinance to reduce water usage. This ordinance included requirements for not allowing water to run into the street, watering in the mornings/late afternoons, and also introduced the water rebate program to replace fixtures with the latest water saving devices (see Indicator 34.1). Since the City adopted the water conservation ordinance, per capita water usage has declined 33%. Although the decline in water usage is positive, the downward trend needs to continue to reach 155 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) by 2024 to meet the State Engineer’s requirements for the forthcoming San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project. Currently, Albuquerque has only one water supply source: the Santa Fe Group Aquifer. The Drinking Water Project will begin diverting San Juan-Chama river water to a new water treatment plant for distribution to customers and allow the aquifer to recover for future needs.

Data Sources:
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) 2008; Salt Lake City 2007 CAFR; Texas Water Development Board, 2006; Western Resource Advocates, 2005; City of El Paso, 2008; City of Oklahoma City, 2008

What can we tell from the data?

• After six straight years of decline, over the last 18 months, the City has experienced a little over 1% increase in per capita water usage.
• From 2002 to 2007, Albuquerque’s per capita water use decreased 15%, 197 to 167 gallons per capita per day. During this same time period the population increased 12%.
• While Albuquerque is significantly lower than Salt Lake City in GPCD, Albuquerque is higher than Oklahoma City, Tucson, and El Paso.

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