(December 16, 2009) The California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has voted to support The Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010, which will appear on the November 2, 2010 General Election ballot.

CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg provided the following comment on The Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010: 

"A safe and adequate water supply is just as important to the state's economic vitality as a healthy blood supply is to an individual's physical well being.  Without the infrastructure funded through this water bond, California will suffer the same fate as a patient with a heart condition, anemia and poor circulation. Critical sectors of our economy including agriculture and housing will deteriorate. This bond is critical to restoring California, protecting jobs and growing our economy for generations to come.” 

The Legislature passed a comprehensive legislative package on water November 4, 2009. The package includes four policy bills and an $11.4 billion water bond measure. The Legislature worked throughout the year developing a comprehensive water package that included Delta governance, conservation, groundwater monitoring, water rights and illegal water diversions. The controversy surrounding water rights proved too difficult to surmount and that bill was not taken up before the special session adjourned.

Four water bonds totaling $11.6 billion have already been approved by the voters in recent years. The bonds funded mostly environmental protection, restoration and enhancement projects, basic ongoing safe drinking water programs and land acquisition. Although roughly half of Proposition 84’s $5.38 billion bond, passed by the voters in 2006, did fund regional water quality projects, a very nominal amount was allocated to water supply feasibility studies.

Water Package

Funding for the package depends on voter approval of the CalChamber-supported water bond.   

The bond authorization appears in SBX7 2 (Cogdill; D-Modesto). Bond funding includes $3 billion for new water storage (including reservoirs), $2.25 billion for Delta restoration, $1.785 billion for conservation and watershed protection projects throughout the state, $1.4 billion for water supply reliability, $1.25 billion for water recycling and conservation, $1 billion for groundwater protection and water quality projects, and $455 million for drought relief.

Accompanying legislation, SBX7 1 (Simitian; D-Palo Alto), creates a seven-member council to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Delta by 2012.

SBX7 6 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) requires water agencies to report water levels in underground basins or risk losing grants for non-compliance.

SBX7 7 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) contains conservation provisions, including a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use for urban water agencies statewide by 2020, with water agencies not meeting the targets being ineligible for state grants and loans. Not all water districts would have to meet the requirement. Farm water suppliers would have to submit efficiency plans.

SBX7 8 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) gives state water regulators more power to police illegal water diversions. Specific penalties are to be added later by the Legislature.

News Release