Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 200 in July 2019, putting into place a historic funding solution for disadvantaged communities that do not have access to safe drinking water. Earlier, California leaders struck a deal to fund drinking water quality improvements by using funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. SB 200 charges the State Water Resources Control Board with setting priorities for addressing failing water systems with this funding. 

“SCWC applauds the leadership of Governor Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and others for their roles in addressing the state’s complex water challenges. This is an important step toward safe, clean, affordable water for all Californians and proof that tough issues can be tackled successfully with cooperation, vision and innovative thinking.

The momentum toward a resilient water supply for California is growing, but the reliable water future can only be attained if we look at the issue holistically. The state faces a range of water challenges, from aging and vulnerable infrastructure to groundwater depletion to uncertain supplies, risks made worse by the effects of climate change.

We hope that just as mutual cooperation helped address access to safe drinking water, we can also tap into that collaborative, solution-oriented thinking to move forward with a conveyance solution in the Delta, while continuing to invest in local projects for stormwater capture, groundwater recharge and more. It wasn’t too long ago that solving the problem of chronically failing water systems seemed out of reach, but today we have a durable solution for ensuring access to safe drinking water for all Californians.”

Charles Wilson
Executive Director
Southern California Water Coalition

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