The Unanticipated Benefits of California’s Water Policies

Water drips from a leaking irrigation pipe in the west San Joaquin Valley. Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

From software to robots to technology originally designed to detect water on Mars, market-based policy approaches are spurring innovation, writes Ceres’ Kirsten James.

Just as California’s climate policies have driven innovation in energy efficiency, renewable energy and battery storage – creating 500,000 new jobs – many of the state’s recently enacted bills are beginning to drive innovation in water technology. State policymakers should take note.

These technologies, in turn, are poised to bring about new jobs and economic growth in California, while supporting the policy goals of creating more robust water utilities and better drought resilience for the state.

A good case in point are the new water efficiency measures, Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668 , signed into law in May, which evolved from the emergency water conservation regulations put in place during the drought. Coupled with the water loss management act, Senate Bill 555, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the Open and Transparent Water Data Act, this series of new policies is beginning to spur a market for tools to help water utilities and users better manage their infrastructure and water use.

“Water efficiency [policy] is fueling an innovation economy around water,” said Nashelley Kaplan-Dailey, senior manager at Imagine H2O, a nonprofit organization that provides business accelerator programs and mentoring to promising water technology startups.

Ceres turned to Imagine H2O for insight on technologies under development in the water industry that respond to some of the new policy mandates. At Imagine H2O, Kaplan-Dailey focuses on the intersection between policy and innovation through the organization’s partnership with the Milken Institute California Center.

“Having regulatory clarity from the government opens […]

Full article: The Unanticipated Benefits of California’s Water Policies

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