Examining the Water and Land Use Connection in Water Utility Planning Requirements

This project examined and evaluated the legal requirements for water utility plans in each of the 50 states, with a particular emphasis on how those plans intersect with land use policy and planning. The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), together with the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), surveyed the statutes and regulations of each state and extracted the relevant sections for review and evaluation.

AWE and ELI reviewed relevant laws of all 50 states to answer a series of questions about how community land use factors are considered in the requirements of water utility plans. The information gleaned from this review was validated and deepened through case study interviews within six states, chosen based on their rigorous water utility planning requirements, history of working on land use and water integration, and geographic diversity.

This report summarizes the methodology, findings, and implications of this research. The document is intended for state policy makers and local utility managers interested in integrated land use and water management.