SAN DIEGO, CA, Aug. 13, 2014 -- Today, the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) announced its full support for Senate Bill 866 (Wolk/Steinberg) and Assembly Bill 1471 (Rendon/Atkins), companion $7.545-billion state water bond measures that would fund critical new water supply development and large-scale water infrastructure projects vital to the future of San Diego County and all of California.
The water bond was the product of negotiations led by Governor Jerry Brown, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. SDCWA has been working for months to address the San Diego region's priorities for a water bond. If passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, the proposed bond would replace an existing bond measure on the November ballot.
SDCWA has long advocated for a water bond that reflects an emphasis on local and regional water supply development. That is the model that the San Diego region has employed for more than two decades to improve regional self-sufficiency, become more resilient to drought, and reduce dependence on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta.
The water bond contains substantial competitive funding opportunities for the San Diego region to pursue and advance meaningful local and regional water supply development, including:
- Chapter 6: Would allocate $475 million to help fulfill state obligations, including mitigation and restoration obligations at the Salton Sea as part of the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement of 2003.
- Chapter 6: Would allocate $17 million to the San Diego River Conservancy for important land conservation, open space, habitat, wetlands, and water quality improvement opportunities in the San Diego River watershed.
- Chapter 7: Would allocate $52.5 million to the San Diego funding area for local and regional Integrated Regional Water Management projects.
- Chapter 7: Would provide $100 million for water-use efficiency projects for which San Diego County water suppliers could compete
- Chapter 9: Would provide $725 million for water recycling and advanced water treatment technology projects -- including potable and non-potable reuse and seawater desalination projects -- for which San Diego County water suppliers could compete.
Of the funds that are regionally allocated within the water bond, the San Diego region would be specifically allocated nearly 9 percent of the total -- an equitable and proportional funding allocation.
See also:
"San Diego County Water Authority supports large-scale potable reuse project"
"Calif. Governor rallies local water leaders on 2010 bond"
About SDCWA
The San Diego County Water Authority is a public agency serving the San Diego region as a wholesale supplier of water from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Water Authority works through its 24 member agencies to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region’s $191 billion economy and the quality of life of 3.1 million residents. For more information, visit www.sdcwa.org.
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