Media Contact:
Don Wright
Water Supply Forum
206-713-3506
don@watersupplyforum.org
Bob Frause
Frause
206-352-6402
bfrause@frause.com
2009 Regional Water Supply Outlook Confirms Sufficient Water Supply for the Next 40 Years
BELLEVUE, Wash. (Mar. 22, 2010) - The Water Supply Forum, a cooperative effort of representatives of public water systems and local governments in the Central Puget Sound region of Washington State has confirmed existing municipal water supplies in the region are adequate to meet projected water demands through 2050 under all planning scenarios evaluated including the potential effects of climate change.
The 2009 Regional Municipal Water Supply Outlook presents a regional overview of municipal water demands, provides an inventory of existing water supplies, and identifies and summarizes potential future water supply and conservation projects for King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. The 2009 Outlook was prepared by the Water Supply Forum over a three-year period, with significant involvement from the region's water utilities, county governments, state agencies, and environmental and tribal interests.
"The 2009 Outlook planning area - comprised of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties-is remarkable in its richness in natural resources, solid economy, and high quality of life," said Don Wright, Forum Project Manager for the 2009 Outlook Project. The Seattle- Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area consistently ranks among the top places in the United States to live and work. "The 2009 Outlook found residents living in this region also place a very high value on the environment and recreation, as evident by the laws and regulations that emphasize sustainable development and strategies to proactively protect and recover endangered and threatened species," said Wright.
The Water Supply Forum also identifies trends in water use throughout the 2009 Outlook. One encouraging trend was that of water efficiency. Available data indicates that the average single-family household water use has decreased from 276 gallons per day in 1990 to 197 gallons per day in 2005 - almost a 30 percent decrease in consumption. This water use efficiency trend was also observed in multifamily and non-residential water use, and in overall per capita water use. The reasons for this downward trend in water consumption include utility conservation programs and plumbing code changes, as well as reductions in water use by the region's industries.
The 2009 Outlook reports that approximately 66 percent of the region's water supply comes from the region's rivers. The remaining 34 percent of the region's water supply comes from groundwater, which is produced by wells located primarily in King and Pierce Counties. The Outlook also reports, in this region, most of the water (about 84 percent of the annual consumption) is used for indoor purposes.
In addition to trends in water use, the Outlook also highlights a number of challenges in maintaining existing water supplies including;
- Balancing increasing water demands for water supply while protecting senior water rights and protecting aquatic habitat and fish.
- Meeting the changing and additional water quality regulations; taste and other aesthetic quality/public perception issues; and the blending of regional supplies with various degrees of treatment and watershed protection.
- Adapting to the potential threat of climate change.
The complete 2009 Regional Water Supply Outlook is available on the Water Supply Forum's Web site - www.watersupplyforum.org
About the Water Supply Forum
The Water Supply Forum (formerly the Central Puget Sound Water Suppliers Forum) is a cooperative effort of representatives of public water systems and local governments in the Central Puget Sound region of Washington State. The Forum addresses current and future water supply issues, including supply planning, environmental stewardship, and other water supply related issues currently facing the region. For more information visit the Web site at www.watersupplyforum.org
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