(August 17, 2009) The California Chamber of Commerce, our members and the Governor are extremely concerned about the inadequacy of the state’s water delivery and supply system.
Although some local water agencies have expanded supply capacity in the last 10 years, two-thirds of California’s citizens and businesses get their water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The Delta’s levees are susceptible to earthquakes and floods, and although it has become the system for conveying water to Central California, Southern California and the Silicon Valley, it was not designed with that in mind. As a water conveyance facility, the Delta is inefficient, creates pressures on our ecosystem and clearly needs to be revamped.
For the most part (although many Northern Californians are wary of how a conveyance facility would affect existing water rights issues), the strongest opposition to the idea that California should build a water conveyance system which bypasses the Delta comes from the people who live there and people who are opposed to growth. Delta residents are concerned that there will be less water for their beneficial uses.
The rest of the state, however, clearly needs the construction of a project that delivers the water directly to a delivery system to Central California, Southern California and Silicon Valley.
Democrats’ Package Lacking
Recently, a group of Democratic legislators introduced a package of legislation that professes to have as co-equal goals protecting the environment and improving California’s water delivery system.
The language of the legislation, however, virtually ignores a conveyance and supply solution and focuses almost solely on protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta.
There’s no question that the CalChamber supports mitigating any environmental harm that would be created by improvements to better convey water through the Delta and protecting any species that has been damaged because of the existing water delivery system.
But the Democratic package, by ignoring the water needs of people and commerce, is a recipe for economic disaster, and is a slap in the face to those Californians looking for job opportunities to move themselves up the economic ladder. Frankly, this approach is a step backwards from finding real solutions and real water to meet the needs of California’s growing population.
Water Goals
It is quite clear that California needs a new water conveyance system to protect California’s environment and economy. We also need to shore up existing levees so that we can protect the Delta community. We want to protect the business landowners in the Delta, and can do so by creating a fund from general obligation bonds.
We need to build additional storage for the water that flows into the Delta so that we can better control the temperature and supply for the benefit of the species that live there and the health of the ecosystem.
To develop a comprehensive water solution to California’s water crisis, our goals must be to:
- improve Delta health;
- improve drinking water quality;
- expand water storage capacity;
- enhance statewide water supply and efficiency.
Unfortunately, the Democrats’ package doesn’t appear to even share these goals. The necessary first step in a constructive process that leads to a solution would be for the Democrats to embrace the same goals.
Meeting these goals will ensure clean and reliable water for all Californians and protect the economy, agriculture and environment for generations to come.
Allan Zaremberg is president and chief executive officer of the California Chamber of Commerce.