In 2012, California passed Assembly Bill 685, which recognized the right to safe and affordable drinking water for all Californians. Over the course of a decade, California will spend more than $1 billion on drinking water infrastructure projects, especially in small and marginalized communities. Through a collaboration of the California Institute for Water Resources (CIWR) and UC Merced's FEWS-US Lab (Food-Energy-Water Systems for and with the Underserved), we are developing extension resources, knowledge, and technical information for safe and affordable drinking water.
People
Erik Porse, PhD
Director, Cooperative Extension Specialist
Colleen C. Naughton
Assistant Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California Merced
Celeste Navarrete
UC Berkeley GrizzlyCorps Fellow
2024–2025
Based at UC Merced
Hope Hauptman, PhD
Project Scientist
in Water Management
Erika Cassio Madrazo, PhD
Project Scientist
Water Access and Planning Program
Introduction to DWQ / Introducción a la CAP
Getting Your Water Tested / Cómo Analizar el Agua
Microplastics
?? Hey Teachers! Looking for a Hands-On Water Lesson?
Welcome to your one-stop resource hub for the Drinking Water Quality Workshop (WQW) — a free, interactive science lesson designed for students in grades 6–12.
- ? Students test real water samples using test strips
- ?? Includes a live water purification demonstration
- ?? Ready-to-use script, slides, worksheets, and supply list
- ?? Promotes critical thinking around water equity and access
- ?? NGSS-aligned and adaptable for classrooms, clubs, and community programs
Scroll down to preview and download everything you need to teach this meaningful and engaging water science workshop.
?? Download / Descargar
Drinking Water Quality Factsheets / Fichas Informativas Sobre La Calidad del Agua Potable
