The Untapped Potential of California’s Water Supply: Efficiency, Reuse, and Stormwater – Issue Brief

Published: June 2014

Authors: Peter Gleick, Heather Cooley, Kate Poole, and Ed Osann

Pages: 8

Issue Brief

Overview

Increased pressures on California’s water supply, including from population growth and intense periods of drought exacerbated by climate change, are leading to the overuse of surface water and groundwater. But with existing technology and conservation methods, the state can take vital steps to improve its resilience to drought and plan for a more sustainable water future. This issue brief, produced in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, is a statewide analysis of the potential for improved efficiency in agricultural and urban water use, water reuse and recycling, and increased capturing of local rainwater.