Introduction
The Coachella Valley and Palm Springs area of California is a desert region facing a serious water shortage. Rapid population growth and extreme summer temperatures in the desert areas have put an immense strain on the local water supply. The California Deserts are known for their dry, hot weather, and water conservation is a critical issue for the communities located there. The Coachella Valley and Palm Springs area have taken steps to reduce water consumption and are actively encouraging residents to adopt water conservation measures. Despite these efforts, the area is still facing a water shortage crisis, and further steps need to be taken to ensure that residents have access to clean, safe drinking water. But is water shortage as bad as you think in the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley areas?
One question often asked Coachella Valley Realtors, “is there enough water in the Coachella Valley?” Certainly, this is an important question especially if you are considering buying a home here. Here are the facts about water shortages in the Coachella Valley right from the source.
We asked the experts about Water Shortage
I turned to the experts at The Desert Water Agency which supplies all the water to Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, and Rancho Mirage to find out more information about our water shortage. I also checked with CV Water Counts, an area nonprofit group that was formed in 2008 to focus on water conservation, through awareness and education to Coachella Valley residents, business, and government. It is comprised of the Coachella Valley’s six water agencies.
Listen to Mark Krause, General Manager of Desert Water Agency who succinctly answers the question about water shortages in the Palm Springs area, “Is there enough water in the Coachella Valley?” Krause explains, “This is a common question for water agencies in the desert, especially with new homes being built and planned across the Coachella Valley. The answer is “Yes.”
Water agencies speak out about water shortages
Digging a bit deeper—“One of Desert Water Agency’s key responsibilities is to make sure that there is enough water to meet the future needs of our community,” reports Krause. “We are lucky to have a huge aquifer underneath the Coachella Valley, but we must take care of it for the next generation. DWA imports water to replace what we pump out and we work with families and businesses to save water,” he adds.
According to CV Water Counts, “though we live in the desert, the Coachella Valley is very fortunate to have high–quality, local water resources. Unlike many other Southern California areas, which must import water from hundreds of miles away in the northern part of the state, our valley has a remarkable, naturally occurring water source right below our feet. This source, the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin (the underground aquifer), helps keep water service reliable – and water rates affordable – for the 600,000 residents who call the valley home, and the 3.5 million tourists who visit us each year. In addition to the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin, we access additional water sources from the Colorado River through the Coachella Canal, which is operated by Coachella Valley Water District. In addition to basement replenishment, this water is used along with other sources (including recycled water) to irrigate many valley golf courses.”
Water Shortage Summary
The Coachella Valley is a beautiful place to live and is home to hundreds of thousands of residents and millions of visitors each year. With the Desert Water Agency and CV Water Counts working together to conserve water and ensure a reliable water supply, you can take comfort in knowing that you can live here with the peace of mind that your water will be taken care of. Whether you’re looking for a home to buy, rent, or just taking a vacation, you can feel confident that at least for the unforeseeable future per the experts, the Coachella Valley has enough water to meet the needs of everyone who lives and visits here.
If you’re interested in searching for homes in the Coachella Valley, visit us at YourSunCity.com. The Paul Kaplan Group has specialized in Real Estate as well as homes in 55+ communities for over two decades. Call/Text u for more information at 760-285-8559.
About the author: Ellen Paris is a professional real estate agent with The Paul Kaplan Group. As a 21-year Palm Springs area resident, Ellen knows both the desert and its unique real estate market with an insider perspective to guide both buyers and sellers. Ellen has been involved in real estate for over 17 years, writing about luxury real estate and market trends for Forbes and other national and regional media.
