California might have the fifth largest economy in the world, but many people in the state’s disadvantaged communities feel like they are living in a third world country because they don’t have safe, clean and affordable drinking water. A lack of financial resources, institutional knowledge, and infrastructural capacity, degraded water quality, and many communities’ non-inclusion in water decisions has led to serious failures in many water systems. These failures specifically harm working class communities and communities of color, leading health risks and lower qualities of life. Californian policymakers should ensure investment in and involvement from marginalized communities to truly institute environmental justice.