California Company Cadiz Aims To Reshape Water Access Across the Southwest

A California company says it’s reshaping the future of water in the West by focusing on what it calls a management challenge rather than a full-blown crisis. Cadiz, Inc. is working to build a more reliable water grid across the Southwest, partnering with underserved communities that have long struggled to access clean, affordable water. CEO and veteran state policymaker Susan Kennedy says the company’s approach flips the traditional model used by large utilities.

Kennedy explains that Cadiz is focusing on areas that major water utilities have historically overlooked. These include rural communities and tribal lands that lack the funding or infrastructure needed to treat and transport safe drinking water. Instead of waiting for utilities to invest, Cadiz steps in to help build treatment systems, pipelines, and other infrastructure that allows these communities to access reliable water sources.

One example is in the Eastern Mojave Desert, where Cadiz is partnering with the Torres Martinez tribe near the Salton Sea and several farmworker communities. In these areas, water pulled from wells often contains arsenic and other contaminants. Cadiz is installing treatment systems to ensure the water meets safety standards, giving families access to clean drinking water many have never had before.

Kennedy says the biggest misconception about California’s water challenges is the belief that the state is running out of water. She argues that water itself is not scarce, but the infrastructure needed to capture, treat, and distribute it is expensive and often out of reach for small communities. Without the financial means to build this infrastructure, these areas face ongoing water insecurity.

Looking ahead, Cadiz’s five-year goal is to make the human right to water a reality. Kennedy says the company plans to continue expanding partnerships and investing in infrastructure that allows communities throughout the Southwest to access clean, reliable, and affordable water.

More information on the company’s projects can be found at cadizinc.com.

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