Map Visualizations
Groundwater
Metro Los Angeles has 23 interconnected groundwater basins and sub-basins lying entirely within L.A. County. Many of these basins are located in adjudicated areas, where users collectively agreed to manage pumping and groundwater recharge. Adjudicated areas can contain one or many basins.
Water Suppliers
Many types of water agencies import, distribute, and sell water throughout L.A. County. Water contractors receive imports from outside the region, wholesalers purchase and resell water, and retailers distribute to users. Water agencies also span public, private, and non-profit organizations, including city retailers and investor-owned utilities.
Water Sources
L.A. water supply agencies get water from many sources, including distant imports such as the Colorado River, local groundwater basins, captured stormwater, and recycled water. Some agencies rely entirely on imported water from the Metropolitan Water District, while others use primarily local groundwater to meet demands.
California Water
California has a highly-engineered system to move water from the wetter northern and eastern areas to its coastal cities and central agricultural areas and communities. The system is managed by hundreds of agencies who buy and sell water. The interconnected statewide system supports agriculture and communities throughout Southern California.
MWD
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the primary water contractor in the region, importing and distributed water to member agencies since 1941. Some of its 26 member agencies such as city utilities provide water directly to customers, while others such as the Central Basin Municipal Water District are wholesalers that resell water to retailing agencies.
Per Capita Use
Starting in 2014, the California State Water Resources Control Board mandated that local water agencies use standardized methods to calculate and report monthly residential per capita water consumption. The database of monthly per capita use supports Governor Brown's mandatory water use restrictions during servere drought.