The State Water Resources Control Board has published Phase 1 of California’s first-ever Wastewater Needs Assessment (WWNA) — a major step toward understanding the state’s wastewater infrastructure needs and guiding future investments.
Led by UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation, with partners at CSU Sacramento’s Office of Water Programs, UC ANR, and UMass Amherst, the four-year project compiles statewide data to identify system gaps, infrastructure risks, and funding priorities.
Phase 1 establishes the baseline—mapping the condition of collection, treatment, and onsite systems across California—and develops new tools to assess adequacy, risk, and potential solutions. This foundational work supports the Water Boards’ goal of ensuring safe, affordable, and equitable sanitation for all Californians, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Phase 2 will expand the analysis to pinpoint systems of concern and estimate costs for long-term planning and investment.
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