60 Minutes’ recent “Water” segment focused on our depleting water supply, and how to combat that, many regions are turning to pumping groundwater for use. Unfortunately, this means that water is being pumped out of the ground faster than it can be replenished.

The end of this segment focused on California's Orange County Water District’s efforts at turning wastewater into drinking water. “They take 96-million gallons a day of treated wastewater from a county sanitation plant – and yes, that includes sewage – and in effect, recycle it.” After a 45 minute process, that water is then drinkable.

To learn more about groundwater and wastewater, visit AWWA’s Resource Community pages.