Senate Bill 366 will establish statewide water supply targets while requiring state, water community and stakeholders to follow through on comprehensive, long-term water supply solutions that will transform water management in California, ensuring adequate and reliable supplies for all beneficial uses.
SB 366 was authored by Senator Anna Caballero and was approved by the Committee on a unanimous 13-0 vote, and will face its next hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in August.
SB 366 would secure California’s future water supply by doing the following:
- Establish necessary water supply targets to capture and produce enough water for all uses.
- Modernize the California Water Plant for a 21st century climate.
- Ensure accountability for state agencies on water management issues.
- Compliment and amplify Governor Newsom’s Water Supply Strategy, ensuring there are water supply targets that extend beyond any single administration.
As a result of evolving and worsening climate condition, an aging infrastructure, a growing population, a global economy and antiquated state policies, California will continue to face an ongoing water supply shortage of historic proportions.
California’s current water system requires extraordinary commitment and investment in new water supplies.
Policy solutions must be advanced to meet environmental, agricultural and urban uses, and everyone has a responsibility to ensure he future of clean water supply.
“We’re pleased that the Committee sees the importance of SB 366 and understands the urgency in which California must make a change to secure a long-term and reliable water supply for the State’s future. We’d like to thank the Committee for keeping this vital legislation moving forward,” said Danielle Blacet-Hyden, deputy executive director, California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), co-sponsor of SB 366, in a CA Water for All press release.
“The Governor said himself, ‘the water system in California was designed for a world that no longer exists.’ With SB 366, the state can reverse the trend of overreliance on water cutbacks and rationing by working with the water community to rectify the decades-long, statewide water supply threats that are impacting 40 million Californians,” said Blacet-Hyden.
CA Water for All thanked the California State Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee in the press release for its unanimous passage of SB 366.
