Water Self-Sufficiency

Achieving self-sufficiency means using water produced only from local groundwater and other local sources and maintaining a resilient system to meet water demand. By doing this, Santa Monica will be able to withstand intermittent rain and prolonged periods of drought. The City of Santa Monica has a goal to be water self-sufficient by 2023 and stop importing water to ensure a safe and reliable supply of water for generations to come.  Achieving self-sufficiency requires both conservation and efficiency, coupled with increasing local water supply. 

Santa Monica offers resources for property owners to convert to drought tolerant landscaping and irrigation and install rainwater harvesting systems. 

In 2017, the City implemented a water neutrality requirement on new construction projects, limiting new water demand from projects that use more water than previous ones. Fees paid in-lieu of reducing water demand onsite go into water efficiency projects elsewhere in the community.

Currently, the City is implementing various components of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project to significantly expand the use of alternative sources of water, like stormwater, wastewater and brackish water from the beach.