Trendy Californians are happy to guzzle treated water, but local experts say it will need a re-branding before Australians are excited about recycled supplies.

New research shows that while Australians are happy to spend millions of dollars on bottled water, the idea of drinking recycled water is still too hard to swallow.

“Recycled water has an image problem that we need to change,” says researcher Professor Sara Dolnicar, from the University of Queensland Business School.

“Campaigners exploiting the ‘yuck’ factor put a stop to recycled water in Toowoomba many years ago, but they offered no alternative to support water security.”

Professor Dolnicar’s research investigates why Australians views some water sources, such as bottled water or rainwater, favourably but are less enthused by options like recycled water.

“Most of the state is in the grip of drought, and now is the time for a new and honest debate about alternative water sources,” she said.

“Using recycled water won’t break the drought but it will make our scarce resources go further.

“For example, Mackay is converting 90 per cent of the city’s waste into irrigation-quality water for cane farmers and California has just invested $1 billion into water recycling plants.”

The United Nations has warned that only 60 per cent of the world’s water needs will be met by 2030.