| Description |
Clean and reliable water supplies are essential to support growing populations and economic activity, yet population growth and changing climatic conditions are stressing water supplies. There are two strategies to plan for urban water supplies: the first is to secure and develop clean and reliable sources, and the second is to manage water demand. The second option seeks to reduce water consumption so that additional supplies are not needed. Traditional approaches to managing demand include education, water use restrictions, and improved efficiency. A novel approach is designing cities and neighborhoods to promote conservation. This dissertation will explore how urban planners can shape the built environment in order to promote urban water conservation. I begin with an exploratory analysis of how the built environment affects water use. I gathered measures of the built environment, demographics, and climate to explore the drivers of water use, utilizing a detailed dataset of 77,256 properties and water use in Salt Lake City, Utah. The measures of the built environment were some of the strongest predictors of urban water use in Salt Lake City. I also explored how the built environment at the neighborhood level influenced the water use of the buildings within the neighborhood. This investigation indicated that water use was a characteristic of a neighborhood, as well as being influenced by the physical characteristics of a single property. The empirical evidence presented in this dissertation, along with corroborating evidence from other research, indicates that the built environment influences how cities use water. In order to identify how urban planners can promote water conservation, I conducted interviews with water managers, urban planners, and water resource researchers from five western states that had experience, or no experience, integrating land use planning and water supply planning. The interviews revealed opportunities and challenges for urban planning to contribute to existing water conservation efforts. I conclude the dissertation with specific planning strategies to promote urban water conservation. |
