In Orange County, California, wastewater from people’s homes is not considered waste. Instead of treating it and sending it to the ocean, Orange County purifies its wastewater with an additional three-step process. Each day, the county treats about 130 million gallons until it’s safe enough to drink. Patel: “And then we take that highly treated, recycled water, and we surface-spread it in a series of lakes or ponds and then let it naturally seep or percolate down and replenish the aquifer.” Mehul Patel is with the Orange County Water District. He says the aquifer is a key source of water for people who live in the area.