In the midst of the worst drought in California history, officials at the Water Replenishment District of Southern California have announced they are finalizing plans to construct a $95 million water purification plant that would make the district entirely self-reliant on local water. The district currently relies on imported water from the Colorado River or the California Delta to quench the thirst of more than 4 million people. However, doing so is quite expensive and damaging to the environment. The new water treatment facility, which should be completed by 2018, would take water from a nearby sewage facility and use advanced procedures such as reverse osmosis to purify the water to meet or exceed drinking water standards. It’s plans like these that show the world can adapt its ways in the face of climate change.