Our Vision: Universal access to safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater management nationwide

Our work: No one knows how many wastewater systems fail to provide adequate sanitation services or how we should invest in wastewater recycling. We are working to assess this in California, developing recommendations to prioritize investments and solutions, and then linking our research to national efforts to protect public health and water quality.

CURRENT PROJECT(S)

As water and wastewater utilities strive to find a way to balance infrastructure investments, asset management, workforce development, and climate change impacts, they must seek ways to increase operational efficiency and cut costs. This project seeks to establish a firm understanding of existing utility governance structures and the impacts they have on utility decision-making.

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Researcher(s): Greg Pierce
Funder: The Water Research Foundation

No one knows exactly how many of the 100,000 miles of sewer lines and 900+ utility providers and treatment plants in California provide adequate service, yet. We are conducting a first-of-its-kind study to answer this question and advance equitable sanitation services.

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Researcher(s): Gregory Pierce, Grace Harrison, Jean Claude Iradukunda, Anna Young, and Max McNally
Funder: California State Water Resources Control Board

This project seeks to understand the economic impacts of reduced water availability (due to urban conservation) on recycled water and wastewater systems in California. The multi-university team is forecasting water demand and efficiency trends, evaluating links between urban water supply and wastewater systems, identifying potential impacts to recycled water production, and assessing impacts on affordability for systems across the state.

Researcher(s): Greg Pierce, Grace Harrison, Erik Porse, Rachel Shellabarger
Funder: California Department of Water Resources

PUBLISHED RESEARCH

For the Human Right to Sanitation

Author(s): Ariana Hernandez, Greg Pierce, Grace Harrison, and partners
Funder: California State Water Resources Control Board

The Phase 1 Report (2023–2025) developed methods, collected baseline data, identified data gaps, and defined measures of risk and inadequacy across 2,657 wastewater systems. The phase also produced frameworks for prioritizing infrastructure investments and estimating costs for potential solutions, such as system upgrades and interconnections. A key innovation was the creation of a 30-member Advisory Group that brings together experts and community voices to inform the process. The findings from Phase 1 will guide Phase 2, which will implement data-driven strategies to improve wastewater management and promote clean, safe, and affordable water access statewide.

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How does pure water LA (Operation Next) prepare the city for an uncertain future?

Author(s): Nicholas Chow, Gregory Pierce, Benjamin Bass, Naomi Goldenson, Adam Barsch, David Kong, Alex Hall, and J.R. DeShazo

We developed a model to analyze the economic and resiliency value of investing in wastewater recycling infrastructure to create a new local, sustainable clean drinking water source. This analysis can inform broader planning efforts in the U.S. and beyond.

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