Publications

423 Resources


Comments on the California Public Utilities Commission Amended Scope for a Low Income Water Rates Assistance Program

August 11, 2021 | publication


This letter from the Center for Accessible Technology; Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security; Natural Resources Defense Council; The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water; Community Water Center; and Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability (collectively the Joint Advocates) contains comments on the California Public Utilities Commission Amended Scope for a Low Income Water Rates Assistance Program.

Op-Ed: Dying from the Heat

July 2, 2021 | publication


No one wants to be a statistic in a climate disaster—an anonymous entry in a dataset of extreme events. But sometimes things sneak up on you. A couple of weeks ago, during one of the extraordinary and severe heat events striking western North America, I almost suffered from heat stroke.

At Risk: Public Supply Well Vulnerability Under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

June 21, 2021 | publication


Community water systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley face a host of challenges that threaten the safety and reliability of drinking water, including pollution, periodic drought, and chronic groundwater overdraft. Moreover, shallow wells, some of which serve community water systems, are vulnerable to short-term and chronic declines in groundwater levels. For example, during the 2012-2016 drought, many domestic wells and some public supply wells went dry. 

Stacked Incentives: Co-Funding Water Customer Incentive Programs

June 8, 2021 | publication


Water utilities throughout the United States offer customer incentives to motivate action and foster engagement with their customers. These incentive programs can take many forms, from rebates for high-efficiency fixtures and appliances to technical assistance for installing cisterns and rain gardens.

Setting Enterprise Water Targets: A Guide for Companies

May 24, 2021 | publication


The complexity of global water challenges requires meaningful action across sectors, including the business sector. A critical aspect of business engagement in successful water stewardship is setting water targets that address the shared water challenges in the water basins where a company operates, sources, and provides goods and services, and that enable actions that reduce or eliminate the associated water risks. 

Customer Debt and Declining Revenues: The Financial Impacts of COVID-19 on Small Community Water Systems

May 13, 2021 | publication


More than 45,000 small community water systems exist in the United States. These small community water systems, defined as those serving fewer than 10,000 people, are distributed across the country. Altogether they serve 53 million people across rural and urban settings, on Tribal reservations, in the midst of huge metropolises, and in growing communities.

Drinking Water Cost Assessment & Gap Analysis

April 30, 2021 | publication


In 2012, California’s Human Right to Water was passed, calling for safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water for all citizens. Then in 2016, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a Human Right to Water Resolution, making the Human Right to Water a primary consideration and priority across its programs.

Op-Ed: Yes, California is in a Drought — Even if Officials Aren’t Saying it out Loud

April 16, 2021 | publication


California is suffering from severe drought again. This winter produced water conditions far below normal for the second year in a row, the eighth year in the last 10, the 14th year in the last 20. Los Angeles has had 39% of normal precipitation; San Diego, only 30%; San Francisco, 37%; Sacramento, less than 40%.

Benefit Accounting of Nature-Based Solutions for Watersheds: Guide

March 4, 2021 | publication


Nature-based solutions use or mimic natural processes to meet societal and environmental needs. They can be used to restore, manage, or protect water resources while also increasing biodiversity and providing additional social and economic benefits. Yet there is no standardized method to identify, estimate, and monitor the benefits that nature-based solutions can provide, making it hard to build the case for investments in these solutions.

Gap Analysis for Funding Solutions for Human Right to Water and At-Risk Drinking Water Systems

February 25, 2021 | publication


In 2012, California’s Human Right to Water was passed, calling for safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water for all citizens. Then in 2016, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a Human Right to Water Resolution, making the Human Right to Water a primary consideration and priority across its programs.

Water and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Business Framework for Water and COVID-19: Rebuilding and Resilience

February 2, 2021 | publication


The business community has a key role to play in responding to COVID-19, rebuilding the economy, and preventing and mitigating future shock events — both broadly speaking and specifically regarding water and handwashing. This second in the Pacific Institute’s Business Framework for Water and the COVID-19 Pandemic issue brief series continues to explore the role of businesses in a robust COVID-19 response, outlining how businesses can contribute to a “blue” economic recovery and help make society more resilient to future shocks.

The Role of Onsite Water Systems in Advancing Water Resilience in Silicon Valley

January 28, 2021 | publication


California’s Silicon Valley faces a host of water challenges. The region’s water and wastewater infrastructure are aging, and in some cases are nearing the end of useful life. Continued growth and development are putting additional strains on the region, and climate change is adding to that burden through sea level rise, more intense storms, and more severe droughts. These challenges present risks but also an opportunity to rethink the design, configuration, and operation of water and wastewater systems.

Is Food Irrigated with Oilfield-Produced Water in the California Central Valley Safe to Eat? A Probabilistic Human Health Risk Assessment Evaluating Trace Metals Exposure

December 18, 2020 | publication


In California, drought and a reduction in natural water availability in recent decades have led to a search for alternative water sources for agriculture. One controversial potential source is produced water a byproduct of oil extraction.

Op-Ed: Water Scarcity Will Increase Risk of Conflict, Says New National Intelligence Report

December 9, 2020 | publication


On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92), including the Intelligence Authorization Act of FY2020. Section 6722 of that law required a report be prepared on the national security effects of “global water insecurity” and be submitted within 180 days (by late June 2020) to “the congressional intelligence committees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.”

Comment Letter on Recommended Updates to Los Angeles’ Safe, Clean Water Program

November 13, 2020 | publication


Investing in water management can provide multiple benefits to communities and the environment. During 2019 and 2020, the Pacific Institute engaged with stakeholders in Los Angeles, California to increase consideration of co-benefits as part of their innovative, regional stormwater funding, called the Safe, Clean Water Program.

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