Sacramento, CA —This week, the legislature made history with the passage of SB 200 and the establishment of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.
The Fund provides more than $1.4 billion over the next decade to assist the one million Californians who lack safe drinking water. The Fund will support safe drinking water projects, help consolidate unsustainable small water systems, and provide subsidies for high operation and maintenance costs for systems in low-income communities throughout the state.
SB 200 is the culmination of over a decade of work by Clean Water Action, community members, and partner organizations; it is the result of 12 years of studies, legislative efforts and advocacy by impacted community members.
This win for safe water would not have been possible without the advocacy and leadership of Senator Monning, Gov. Newsom, Speaker Rendon, Senate Pro Tem Atkins, Assemblymember Garcia and Assemblymember Bloom.
“This victory reflects Clean Water Action’s vision of people advocating for the changes they need to make their communities whole and healthy. This Fund will transform the lives of the one million Californians without safe and affordable drinking, and we’re proud to have helped bring it to fruition” said Jennifer Clary, Clean Water Action’s Water Program Manager.
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table. We will protect clean water in the face of attacks from a polluter friendly Administration and Congress.