Investment strategy for Californian water

California’s growing population, its $1.4 trillion economy and natural resources all require clean, reliable and affordable water. At the same time with extremely limited federal, state and local budgets no one can afford to make investment decisions that will not produce results.

This Investment Strategy for California Water identifies the most cost-effective, environmentally beneficial and socially acceptable water management strategies. It directs public investments to locally planned and implemented programs to increase regional water self-sufficiency. This Investment Strategy will serve as a framework for sponsorship and support of the next state water bond. The Investment Strategy analysed a wide range of management options, all the way from conservation and recycling to transfers, desalination and building new dams. The Strategy was developed in a fully open and inclusionary process. All drafts were posted for comment on the PCL website. Input from two public workshops helped guide development of the Strategy. Each of the recommendations is fully documented by multiple, credible sources.