California Water Suppliers Gear Up for a Dry Year With Confidence

The results are in.  California’s 446 urban water suppliers have conducted their supply and demand assessments, and 95.5% say they will have ample supplies to meet projected demand in the coming year, even if it is dry.  The remaining 4.5% who project some level of shortage have identified response actions to address and mitigate the potential shortage.

The Annual Shortage Report is a yearly stress test for water suppliers and serves as an important tool for successful and effective local water shortage contingency planning, ensuring water supply reliability and drought resiliency.  This year’s Annual Shortage Reports cover projections for the 12 months from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.  The Department of Water Resources prepares a report summarizing the findings by September 30 and submits it to the State Water Resources Control Board.