What are the key issues at stake?

• ­­Water consumption has been increasing at a rate much quicker than the rate of water supply

• Severe water shortage and due to climate change, fluctuation in water supply are likely to continue

• Water supply infrastructure needs to be changed.

• Scarcity of water especially for farmers.

• Decentralization is still new and still has not caught on worldwide.

Why are these issues important?

• Need water due to rapid increse in population

• Urban users 

• Farmers need water to grow crops

• Need water for agricultural/landscape irrigation

• Increased groundwater salt concentration

• Seawater intrusion in fresh groundwater

Who are the stakeholders?

• Urban communities

• Farmers

• agricultural industry

• government

• engineers

• unions

• regulators

What is the rationale behind each of the stakeholders’ positions?

• Urban communities: converting waste water to useable water

• Farmers: need more water for their crops, irrigations

• Agricultural industry: landscape/agricultural irrigation benefits

• Government: Saving water cost, economics

• Engineers: They do not want to adapt to decentralization

• Unions: Don’t want to adapt to decentralization

• Regulators: Don’t want to adapt to decentralization

What are the unknowns? What are the scientific issues? How can hydrologic science benefit decisionmaking?

• Are several stakeholders willing to adapt and change their water infrastructure?

• Is it too energy intensive for urban communities close to water?

• Is recycled water safe for consumption? Public health concerns?

• What are the effects of using recycled wastewater on our food, environment?

• How much will it cost to transition to decentralized? Will the government support the cause with subsidies?

What type of measurements should be made or experiments/surveys designed to address the key scientific issues?

• Cost and benefit analysis 

• Do the benefits of transitioning to decentralization outweigh the cost?

• Do the environmental benefits, cost and energy reductions, and reduction in freshwater demand validate this transition?

What are the resources available to address the scientific questions? In other words, are there available stream gauge records, water quality measurements, etc.?

• For potable use, water quality measurements can determine if the water meets drinking standards.

• For non-potable purposes, water quality measurements don't have to meet drinking requirements but must be safe for human contact.

What work has been done/decisions have been made on other systems that are relevant to your issue?

• Case studies in Australia, Singapore, Israel, and Orange County prove that efficient water recycling systems are both possible and economically feasible.  In addition, these projects prove that they can help alleviate the issue of water scarcity by reducing demand on freshwater sources and provide sustainable alternative water supplies.

Provide a critical assessment of the popular media’s reporting on the issue, the stakeholders’ positions, and the decisionmaking process to date.

• Negative public perception of "toilet to tap" 

• The government is too afraid to take chances due to public health concerns