Coalition Supporting Safe & Affordable Drinking Water Fund Applaud Reintroduction of Safe Drinking Water Legislation
Governor Brown and lawmakers have introduced bipartisan consensus legislation – SB 844 and SB 845 authored by Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) – to solve California’s longstanding drinking water crisis. The legislation builds upon the original proposal for a Safe & Affordable Drinking Water Fund, with changes made to ensure broad support and effective implementation – because California families with toxic water cannot afford to wait any longer.
The legislation has been amended in two key ways:
Changes the mandatory safe drinking water fee to a voluntary program, giving Californians the ability to opt out if they so choose, similar to other existing models such as community choice aggregators. Funding will be used to help disadvantaged communities afford to create, operate and maintain critical drinking water treatment efforts. The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will work with stakeholders to develop best practices and other measures deemed necessary to meet the unique needs of low-income Californians as part of the voluntary program.
Preserves the mandatory fees and regulatory implementation provisions on agricultural operations and dairies, while increasing the fertilizer mill fee from the original proposal. Fees are set to collect a fair amount of revenue in proportion to the costs to treat water impacted by nitrate.
Taken together, SB 844 and SB 845 represent a major step forward towards finally achieving the California promise of safe, clean and affordable drinking water for all.
Below is a joint statement from the supporters of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund:
“California is on the verge of a historic step forward to provide safe and affordable drinking water for the estimated one million Californians with toxic tap water. After extensive deliberations with lawmakers and stakeholders, Governor Brown and Senator Monning have introduced a consensus proposal in SB 844 and SB 845 that builds upon the original Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. We remain in strong support and appreciate the thoughtfulness and deliberation that informed this revised legislation. We also appreciate the bipartisan champions who are leading this effort. And, we believe the diversity of strong support from environmental justice, public health, business, agricultural, labor, environmental, local government and water leaders speaks to the strength and urgency of this proposal. We urge a swift vote so that we can finally achieve the California promise of safe, clean, affordable and accessible water for all.”
Below are individual statements from some of the many supporters of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.
Agricultural Council of California: Emily Rooney, President
“We are wholeheartedly committed to solving this crucial drinking water issue this year. We remain dedicated, along Governor Brown and over 140 other groups and community partners, to solving this ongoing problem for low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout the state. As the Sac Bee Editorial Board said on June 4, ‘This is 21st century California. There is simply no excuse for water that isn’t safe.’”
Community Water Center: Laurel Firestone, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
“For decades, our communities have been given the unacceptable choice of drinking contaminated water from the tap or purchasing costly alternatives. Now, for the first time, we are within reach of a real solution in California and our legislature must act by passing the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. This Fund will provide critical resources for drinking water solutions urgently needed in our state. Local community leaders impacted by unsafe water continue to lead the way of an unprecedented group of stakeholders supporting this solution including environmental justice, public health, business, and agriculture. We can’t let this opportunity pass — our families are depending on it.”
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability: Phoebe Seaton, Co-Director
“California is so close to rectifying this decades-long wrong, this chasm in our image of health, well-being, and equity. We stand this week with the million Californians who still live each day without safe drinking water and ask that the Legislature — north and south, urban and rural, blue and red — make safe drinking water a reality.“
Ag Council is actively working in the Legislature to pursue a swift vote on the bills in the Legislature by the the end of session on August 31. Click HERE to continue reading the statements from many more supporters of SB 844 and SB 845.