Publication: USA Today

UCLA Expert: Gregory Pierce: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Luskin School of Public Affairs; Co-Director, Luskin Center for Innovation; Co-Director, UCLA Water Resources Group; Member, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; Senior Researcher, Water and Transportation Initiatives

Synopsis: USA Today examines a claim that the Earth can produce an infinite supply of clean water.

UCLA News: Climate change is generally making drier areas have less precipitation and wetter areas have more, Pierce said. "There is less water available in a lot of places because we've mismanaged the groundwater so much, either we've overused it — overdrafted so much that the storage space that used to be there is literally collapsed and we don't have that space available anymore — or we've polluted the groundwater." Pierce also said that while some areas have untapped groundwater very deep underground, accessing these stores is costly. "If you're willing to pay an astronomical amount for a marginal supply, there's more available," he said. "But generally we actually need to use less groundwater and manage it better rather than going deeper and doubling down on unsustainable practices."

Read more at USA Today.