Solutions for Underperforming Drinking Water Systems in California

Underperforming drinking water systems in California are a serious problem that policymakers, utility leaders, and local citizens want to address. While both large and small water systems have water quality challenges, small water systems struggle the most to meet Safe Drinking Water Act standards. A unified strategy to improve the drinking water quality of small water systems optimizes resources and creates greater results. By assessing water quality issues holistically, stakeholders have the opportunity to make significant improvements to drinking water quality for small water systems. This project enhances understanding of the most severe problems for drinking water quality in California, identifies potential solutions, and looks at lessons learned for application to the rest of the nation. Research partner: California Urban Water Agencies and Pacific Institute. Published in 2020.