Drinking toilet water may be the future of drought-stricken California

As climate change and water scarcity become increasingly urgent issues around the world, governments are turning to new options to ensure adequate water supplies — including turning sewage waste into drinking water.

And if you’re in California, this may soon be flowing from your kitchen tap.

The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to allow water companies to pump treated wastewater into residents’ taps in the populous, drought-prone state. In a statement, the board said the decision would give California “the most advanced standards in the nation for treating wastewater to such an extent that the finished product meets or exceeds current drinking water standards.”