What is the "Water Supply Assessment" (WSA) used for?

The "Water Supply Assessment" (WSA) plays a crucial role in evaluating whether water supplies are adequate for future development projects. It is specifically designed to assess the availability and reliability of water resources in relation to anticipated population growth and land use changes. This assessment ensures that new developments have sufficient water supply to meet both current and future demands, thereby facilitating sustainable planning and development.

In many jurisdictions, the WSA is a required analysis that takes into consideration various factors, such as historical water usage, projected demand increases, and permitted water rights. By doing so, it aids decision-makers in understanding the capacity of existing water systems and potentially identifying the need for improvements or expansions in water infrastructure.

While effective management of existing resources, cost estimation of water distribution, and environmental impact analyses are all important aspects of water resource management, they serve different purposes and contexts than the specific goal of the WSA focused on future development planning.