California’s economy, environment, and public health depend on one critical system: water infrastructure. From aging pipelines and dams to treatment plants and flood control systems, California’s water-related infrastructure is under increasing strain.

Clean water is a basic expectation in the United States, yet millions of Americans still live in areas with unsafe or unreliable drinking water. High-profile crises like Flint’s lead disaster grabbed national attention, but many other cities continue to struggle with contamination that stems from aging infrastructure, poor regulation, political conflict, or environmental injustice.

Access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, yet many Native American communities continue to face severe water challenges due to aging infrastructure, contamination, remote locations, and long-standing underfunding.

Across the country, water systems are aging, demands are rising, and the challenges tied to climate change aren’t slowing down. But one issue is quietly shaping the future of every treatment plant, utility, and public works department: a rapidly shrinking water workforce.