How is our water supply different now compared to the major drought of the late 1980’s?
During the 1980’s, the City relied on Lake Cachuma, Gibraltar Reservoir, and local groundwater pumping to meet the demand for water. The extensive cutbacks during that time highlighted the need for additional supplies. Since that time we have added recycled water, State Water, and desalination to make a more diverse and flexible water supply portfolio. In addition, sustained conservation efforts by our customers have reduced per capita water demand by about 25% compared to 1988.
