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Conservation groups are pushing a major overhaul of how Southern California gets its water, arguing the state must rely less on imported supplies as climate change, drought and rising costs threaten long-term water security for millions of residents.

The coalition, made up of 12 groups, says California should dramatically expand local water capture, wastewater recycling and groundwater cleanup rather than continue depending heavily on imported supplies from the Colorado River and Northern California.

Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, California began work Monday on a broad package of projects involving water reuse, fire preparedness, and habitat repair, according to ABC 7 News. All of these projects aim at making the botanical garden more resilient in the face of drought and fire risk.

Officials said the plan’s new underground stormwater capture system will hold about 1.5 million gallons. It’ll take in up to 21 million gallons of stormwater annually from a 256-acre drainage area.

A potential “super” El Niño later this year could bring much-needed relief to the drought-stricken Colorado River system, raising hopes for improved snowpack, reservoir levels and water supplies across the American West.

The river irrigates millions of acres of farmland and provided water to tens of millions of Americans, making the prolonged drought a major concern for long-term water stability. Key reservoirs along the river have seen declining water levels in recent years, raising concerns about power generation, water supply, and local ecosystems.

Arizona, California and Nevada, the three Lower Basin states, have struck a deal to conserve 3.2 million acre-feet of Colorado River water over the next two years.

It’s no fix for the water crisis, but it buys the basin more time to hammer out a long-term solution with the other states.