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ACWA Endorses Water Bond on November 2010 Ballot

Board Votes to Support Measure to Invest in State's Water System

Citing a critical need to reinvest in the state's water infrastructure, the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today endorsed an $11.14 billion water bond measure slated for the November 2010 ballot.

The statewide organization's Board of Directors voted to formally support the Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010, saying it would provide much-needed funding for water supply reliability, Delta sustainability, water recycling, conservation, surface and groundwater storage, groundwater protection and cleanup, and drought relief.

"With passage of the legislative package last November, we have a framework for moving ahead with solutions. Now it is essential that we pass this water bond to provide funding for the projects and strategies that are central to solving our extreme water supply challenges," said ACWA President Paul Kelley. "We can't afford not to make this overdue investment in our water system."

The Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010 was part of a comprehensive water package approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in November. If approved by voters, it will fund projects and programs to improve water supply reliability, sustain and restore the Delta, improve the operation of the state's water infrastructure, expand water conservation and recycling, and protect groundwater and watersheds. It includes funding for all regions of California.

Kelley noted the measure would fund the kinds of programs and projects ACWA has advocated since release of its 2005 water policy document, "No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water." The document recommended a comprehensive suite of actions and investments to ensure California has the water supply system it will need in the coming decades.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.