ACWA Agencies Rally in Support of Conveyance Repair Bill, SB 559 by ACWA Staff Jun 29, 2021 Water News Several representatives of ACWA member agencies joined state lawmakers and community leaders from the Central Valley at a State Capitol rally June 28 in support of SB 559, a bill introduced by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Sanger) that would address vital repairs to State Water Project and Central Valley Project infrastructure. ACWA has a support position on SB 559. The bill has passed out of the Senate and been referred to the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee for consideration. If ultimately enacted, it would direct state funding toward repairing canals, roads and bridges damaged from land subsidence. Hurtado topped a list of legislators who made comments at the rally, including Sen. Anna Caballero, and local government leaders from the Central Valley, such as Frank Galaviz, a member of the Teviston Community Services District, where the community has gone without running water for a month after a well broke down. Sponsors of SB 559 include ACWA members State Water Contractors, Friant Water Authority and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, whose Board Chairman, Michael Cannon, spoke along with other sponsor agency representatives. Rally speakers emphasized that SB 559’s passage would produce a wide range of beneficial outcomes, such as helping disadvantaged communities, protecting the state’s economic well-being and building climate change resilience, among many. “If nothing else is clear, this is not an environmental issue, this is not a water supply issue, this is a people issue,” said Westlands Water District General Manager Tom Birmingham. Funding to repair water infrastructure under SB 559 would include the Friant-Kern Canal, which has lost 60% of its capacity. This has restricted its ability to deliver water to farms and cities, as well as support groundwater recharge to basins that supply many rural and disadvantaged communities, said Alex Biering, Government Affairs and Communications Manager for the Friant Water Authority. The Authority has already secured more than $400 million in federal and local funding for canal repairs. “If the San Joaquin Valley has any chance to meet California’s clean drinking water goals, SB 559 and the funding others have proposed must be successful,” Biering told rally attendees. “If the San Joaquin Valley has any chance to achieve California’s sustainable groundwater requirements under climate change and while minimizing pain to valley communities, these canals must be repaired.” Kathy Viatella, Executive Legislative Representative for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, also addressed the rally, pointing out that Southern California receives about 30% of its water from the State Water Project. Projects that depend on SWP water encompass recycling programs and groundwater basin replenishment. Overall, SWP water supports local businesses and 19 million Southern California residents, including many who reside in disadvantaged communities, Viatella said. “We have kept water affordable by investing in our water infrastructure,” ” Viatella said. “We need to maintain this affordability, and ensure when water is available, it can be moved without disruption. SB 559 will do this. Working together and sharing the cost is the only way that we are going to ensure a reliable and climate resilient water supply for future generations.”
