IT STARTS WITH A VISION
The Association of California Water Agencies’ (ACWA) Vision for Our Water Future seeks to elevate water as a top priority for California’s next governor, legislative leadership, and state officials. It provides a clear, focused framework to secure a reliable, affordable, and modern water system that supports California’s economy, communities, and environment.
BOLD LEADERSHIP
IS NEEDED NOW
State and local water suppliers are
on the front lines of California’s water
management to sustain communities,
agricultural land and economy.
Water managers across the state
are already pursuing local, practical
and innovative solutions, but long
term, meaningful progress requires
a strong state partnership to achieve
these shared goals. Bold leadership
is needed to set a unified direction,
accelerate action and deliver
results that prepare California for an
increasingly uncertain future.
WATER IS AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE
Catastrophic wildfires, prolonged droughts, more intense storms, land subsidence, and aging infrastructure are reshaping California’s risk landscape. Meeting these challenges demands that we acknowledge the seriousness of the threat, act with urgency and intention, and work together to advance our shared priorities.
CALIFORNIA THRIVES
WITH WATER
Water is the foundation upon which California is
built. As the world’s fourth-largest economy, the
nation’s breadbasket, a global technology leader,
and home to extraordinary ecosystems, the
prosperity of the Golden State depends on safe,
resilient, and affordable water supply — now and
into the future.
KEY ELEMENTS OF A MODERN WATER SYSTEM
Designed and
upgraded for
the future
Flexible and
responsive to
changing climate
conditions
Supported by aligned
state permitting,
regulatory, & investment
frameworks
Informed by
technology,
data, & science
Grounded in long-term
affordability-term
Vision for Our Water Future is an initiative of the
Association of California Water Agencies, representing
approximately 470 public water suppliers in the state.
www.acwa.com/vision
1. LEAD ON WATER
Recognize water as an essential resource and the
infrastructure that underpins California’s economy,
housing growth, food production, environmental health,
and community resilience. Sustained executive leadership is needed to improve water supply reliability, accelerate climate resilience, and ensure coordinated action across state government.
3. DELIVER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Future-proof California’s critical water infrastructure to ensure reliable supplies in the face of climate change, growing economic and community demands, and
escalating emergency risks. This requires strengthening the statewide water system, including both built and natural infrastructure, while advancing regional resilience to
maximize systemwide reliability.
VISION FOR
OUR WATER FUTURE
2. PROTECT AFFORDABILITY
Ensure safe and reliable water remains affordable by
strengthening sustained state investment and funding
partnerships with local, regional, and federal agencies to address rising infrastructure, climate, and regulatory costs.
California’s ratepayers fund more than 85 percent of the system. Without predictable investment, these costs will increasingly fall on households, businesses, and farmers.
4. MODERNIZE WATER MANAGEMENT
Improve California’s regulatory and operational systems so water projects can move forward reliability and efficiently, infrastructure can be operated more flexibly, and agencies can respond more rapidly to changing conditions. California’s regulatory framework should deliver clear, coordinated
decisions grounded in the best available science, while maintaining environmental protections, public transparency, and California’s existing water rights priority system.
Securing California’s water future requires more than incremental fixes — it demands a fundamental shift in how the state leads, invests, and operates. The Vision for Our Water Future provides an essential framework for our next administration to: