Santa Fe's sustained water conservation efforts have generated substantial economic and environmental returns, according to a new study by the City of Santa Fe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program, and Eastern Research Group.
Since 2000, the city's per-capita water use has fallen nearly 30%, while the population grew by approximately 40%. Total water production decreased by about 20% during the same period.
Compared with what demand could have been if per-capita water use had remained at 2000 levels, the study estimates Santa Fe's conservation efforts resulted in annual savings of approximately 3,815 acre-feet of water, 9.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity from water system operations, $1.04 million in electricity costs, and 8.8 million pounds of carbon emissions from water system operations.
The study was developed following discussions at the 2023 Next Generation Water Summit. Holly Cannon, senior environmental scientist, said the analysis demonstrates that water efficiency represents 'one of Santa Fe's most impactful sustainability investments.' The city plans to use the study's findings to measure the energy and carbon impacts of future conservation initiatives and is offering the methodology as a model for other communities.