Los Angeles residents are savvy. Although film and fashion trends may be more familiar to them than those of, say, home improvement, they appreciate how things like plumbing affect their lives. After all, a little bit of knowledge goes a long way. For example, if you’re aware of and installed high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, then you probably started saving money while conserving water (a savvy choice, indeed).

While it’s impossible to foretell the future with 100% accuracy, here are some predictions for plumbing based on growing trends and industry behavior (with a little fun throw in to keep things interesting).

Sprinklers will become obsolete

Neighborhoods like Beverly Hills and Santa Monica rely on sprinkler systems to keep their lawns looking pristine, but at what cost? With the drought becoming more and more serious, and water conservation now mandatory, sprinklers are a drain on California’s water supply. To combat dry conditions now and in the future, sprinklers will eventually become obsolete. They’ll be replaced with re-usable green technologies, such as greywater systems that re-distribute shower and sink water. If you haven’t considered a re-usable system yet, it might be a good time to start.

PEX will replace your current piping

Gone are the days when every home was built with copper pipes. Increasingly, plumbers are fitting or retrofitting residences with PEX (crosslinked polyethylene) pipe. From Hollywood to Hermosa Beach, PEX is growing in popularity due to its ease of installation, long life span, and efficiency (the insulation inside means less heat loss). To have this versatile piping installed in your home, contact the best plumber Los Angeles has to offer. Whether it’s copper, PVC or another kind of pipe, Ritz Plumbing will help you easily transition to PEX.

Plumbers will become more specialized

As the population of Los Angeles continues to grow, there’s a high demand for new development, as well as for experts who can fix older buildings. All-purpose plumbers will never go out of style, but with all the demand, specialists will become popular as well. Commercial plumbers will be needed for Downtown’s retail expansion, while technicians who specialize in sewer line repair will have to meet the needs of the city’s growing waste systems.

All fixtures will become digital

Tankless water heaters perhaps illustrate the most popular intersection of technology and plumbing. Many of them rely on a digital interface to operate their efficient heating systems. Expect to see technology affect other areas of your home’s plumbing as well. Digitally operated showers are slowly making their way into more luxury houses, such as those found in Bel Air and Malibu. Through a push-button or remote control interface, you can turn it on and off, and even determine its temperature. If this is the case, who’s to say you won’t be able to digitally control your faucets and toilets? It may seem a little silly now, but if designed right, they’ll make our fixtures – and lives – run more efficiently.