How about a refreshing glass of toilet water? San Diego, California, recently became the first big city in the U.S. to launch a wastewater recycling program for household use, including washing, bathing—and yes, even drinking. The recycled wastewater will go through an elaborate treatment process so it’s safe to consume, and it’s eventually expected to account for as much as 35 percent of the city’s total water usage. Water shortages have been a huge problem in California, which recently suffered a prolonged drought. A government study estimates that 40 other U.S. states could face similar shortages in the coming decade, which means recycled toilet water could catch on elsewhere. So how does it taste? Benedito Braga of the World Water Council recently told CNN: “The quality from [recycled] sewage is as good or better than the tap water in any city in the developed world.”