It’s obvious that the City of San Diego needs a reliable water supply for its homes and businesses, whether in wet years, dry years, or during long droughts. That takes planning, and your input. 

The City of San Diego has released its draft Urban Water Management Plan, a required long-range plan that explains where our water will come from and how we will keep it reliable well into the future (in this case, through 2050).  

You can review the draft and share your comments through March 30, 2026.  

What this plan does 

Think of the Urban Water Management Plan as the City’s water game plan for the next 20 to 25 years. State law requires every large water agency to update this plan every five years.  

The plan looks at:  

• How much water San Diego will need as the City changes over time. 

• Where our water will come from, including imported water, local supplies, and recycled water. 

• How the City will prepare for dry years and potential multi-year droughts. 

• What actions the City can take if water supplies get tight, including water shortage response steps.  

What makes the City of San Diego’s system different 

The City delivers water across a large and complex network. The system includes nine reservoirs, multiple treatment plants and imported water.  

The plan also reflects major local investments like the City’s Pure Water Program, which will turn recycled water into high quality drinking water. This helps the City rely less on costly imported water and strengthen our reliability on local sources of water.  

Why your input matters 

This plan affects decisions about long term investments and how the City prepares for drought and climate impacts. Your comments will help the City understand what residents and businesses care about most, before the plan heads to the City Council for consideration and final approval.  

Visit sandiego.gov/UWMP to read the draft plan and submit a public comment. The deadline is March 30, 2026.