TITLE:
Do per Capita Water Use Regulations Penalize Growing Urban Economies
AUTHORS:
Frederick Bloetscher, Robert J. Eustice
KEYWORDS:
Conservation, Urban Water Use, Commercial Use, Economic Activity
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.4 No.3,
September
30,
2016
ABSTRACT: Water has shaped nations for centuries. However as populations have expanded and
economies grow, the demand for water has increased substantially. Large amounts of
water are needed for agriculture, power and daily living. This water is often removed
from the downstream hydrologic cycle exacerbating current water shortfalls. There
are a variety of means to address water demands. However they are disproportionately
placed on urban users as those users are the easiest to measure and regulate.
Urban users are asked to curtail water use, convert to alternative sources and can be
regulated on per capita water use. Per capital water use is often used to show where
there is “wasted” water use, usually in the form of excessive irrigation. Most such
communities are distinctly urban-large areas with large and diverse populations, which
often include a large tourist contingent. However such a metric may penalize successful
communities with diverse economic bases, thereby limiting the potential for
these urban communities to grow their economies and forcing local officials into difficult
decisions with respect to growth, development and job opportunities for their
residents. The issue is particularly significant because urban use is only 12.6% of total
water use in the United States.