California's Water Crisis

California's Water Woes

California has a crumbling water infrastructure built four decades ago for 18 million people and the state's population is expected to more than double that number in the next decade.

Take a look at the facts:

• Water is literally going down the drain. In 2005, enough water to supply 13 million families for a year went out to sea and was lost because there was nowhere to store it.
• In 2009, water cutbacks resulted in 285,000 acres going fallow and the loss of 9,800 agricultural jobs, for a $340 million loss in farm-related revenues.
• In 2012, the statewide snowpack water content was only 40 percent of normal.
• The federal government forecasts that California's drought conditions will persist or intensify.

Rebuilding California's Water Future

California's water problems are complex and deserve a comprehensive solution.  Key elements of a comprehensive solution are:

• Effective water management by reserving surplus water in wet years to survive dry years.
• Responsible environmental protections that do not devastate the economy.
• Conserving resources by making every drop count.

Effective water management

The state must invest in the state's aging water infrastructure to build new facilities and expand existing sites.   Adequate water storage will ensure excess water from wet years is available to use in dry years.  Other tools to improve water management include better conveyance, drought relief projects and groundwater cleanup, particularly in disadvantaged communities and other economically distressed areas.

Responsible environmental protections

California must invest to preserve the Delta and other fragile ecosystems - including restoration projects for rivers, the ocean and fish barriers. Another added benefit is that restoring the Delta will improve conveyance.

Conserving resources by making every drop count

While increasing storage will help reduce shortages in the future, the state can build water supply in the short term through water conservation and water-use efficiency programs.

Water Bond

In November 2009, lawmakers approved on a bipartisan basis the "Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act," a bond measure that invests $11 billion in California's water system. Voters are expected to decide on that measure in November 2014. 

Click below to read more detailed background information from the California Department of Water Resources on the water bond.

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