Gov. Gavin Newsom released a 19-page drought plan titled California's Water Supply Strategy.
This plan directs state agencies to accelerate permits and provide more funding to cities and local water districts to embark on necessary water infrastructure projects.
These projects include building new reservoirs, desalination plants and recycled water projects.
“So much of the water conversation in this state has been about conservation, a scarcity mindset,” Newsom said, reported The Mercury News. “But that’s a relatively small component of the overall strategy we are introducing here today. What we are focusing on is creating more supply. We are focusing on creating more water.”
The strategy includes:
- Creating storage space for up to 4 million acre-feet of water;
- Recycling and reusing at least 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030;
- Freeing up 500,000 acre-feet of water; And
- Making new water available for use by capturing storm water and desalinating ocean water and salty water in groundwater basins.
Additionally, there are four sets of major actions that the State will pursue, which include:
- Developing new water supplies;
- Expanding water storage capacity above and below ground by 4 million acre-feet;
- Reducing demand; And
- Improving forecasting, data, and management, including water rights modernization.
"The State also continues to make progress extending clean, safe drinking water to all Californians; in the last three years, the number of people impacted by failing water systems has fallen from 1.6 million to 934,000, and the state has delivered emergency drinking water assistance to 9,456 households and 150 water systems in this drought," states the plan.
According to the plan, California's Department of Water Resources estimates that without action, hotter, drier weather could reduce California’s water supply by up to 10% by 2040, which is roughly 6 to 9 million acre feet. The goal is to offset this number by expanding supply by roughly 5 to 7 million acre feet by 2040 and implementing conservation efforts.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that 97% of the state was in a severe drought Aug. 11 and 45% in an extreme drought, reported The Mercury News.
Additionally, the plan notes that current regulations allow communities to use recycled water for drinking via reservoir or aquifer. In 2023, "the State Water Board will establish direct potable reuse regulations that allow suppliers to distribute recycled water without first putting it into a reservoir or aquifer."
