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Existing technologies and practices can help California businesses save up to 1.3 million acre-feet of water every year -- that’s enough to meet the needs of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, according to a new research.

The Natural Resources Defense Council published a comprehensive report this week about the array of water-saving opportunities available for the commercial, industrial and institutional sector (CII) in the nation’s most populous state.

Although based on the water-saving potential in California, the report's recommendations are in many ways universal and the technologies can be applied to other regions.

The report estimate's California's CII sector is responsible for about a third of urban water use, but technologies such as high-efficiency toilets and fixtures, water meters and sensors, and on-site treatment can cut consumption by as much as 50 percent.But while these tools are readily available, there are many barriers to their widespread deployment: lack of business investment capital, insufficient funding for rebate programs, low water costs, and the need for more data and trained staff at water agencies, among other challenges.