A new report is challenging the view that California is running out of water, arguing instead that the state’s crisis is a matter of broken infrastructure and logistics. Research led by Nícola Ulibarrí, an associate professor at UC Irvine, suggests that California already collects enough water to sustain its entire population. The disconnect lies in how that water is delivered. Or, in many cases, how it isn't.
Commissioned by UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab, the study identifies a gap in the state’s grid. Thousands of households, especially in rural areas, remain entirely disconnected from major water systems, leaving them reliant on private
New Research Questions California's Water Scarcity Narrative
Feb 11, 2026 |















