AND THE MICROPHONE ON. WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THIS IS
THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE. ON
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC
MATERIALS OVERSIGHT HEARING
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH 2023 THE
OVERSIGHT HEARING WILL HAVE A
HANDFUL OF, UH, COLLEAGUES
COMING IN AND OUT THIS MORNING.
SO UM, BE PATIENT WITH US. UH,
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED,
SO THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT FOLKS, UH, WATCHING IN
PROVIDING SAFE, CLEAN AND
AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. SOUNDS
SIMPLE, BUT IT'S NOT. IN A STATE
OF 40 MILLION PEOPLE AND WITH
OUR STATE WATER SOURCES SO
DIVERSE AS THE MOUNTAIN SNOW
PACK. LAKES OUT OF STATE, RIVERS
AND GROUNDWATER BASINS. THERE
ARE MANY OBSTACLES TO PROVIDING
CLEAN WATER. SOME OF OUR
CHALLENGES INCLUDE DROUGHT
CONTAMINATION. ECONOMICS AND THE
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. FROM
EAST FROM SEA LEVEL RISE FIRES
AND FLOODS. IN A STATE AS
WEALTHY AS CALIFORNIA. IT'S
TROUBLING TO THINK THAT NOT ALL
CALIFORNIANS HAVE ACCESS TO SIP
AND DRINKING WATER. THE LACK OF
CLEAN, AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER
IMPACTS DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY.
THESE COMMUNITIES ARE USUALLY
ALSO IMPACTED BY MULTIPLE
SOURCES OF POLLUTION. AS WELL AS
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THIS HEARING IS
MORE THAN A CHECK IN ON A VERY
IMPORTANT STATE PROGRAM. IT'S A
GUT CHECK. TO US. PART OF OUR
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IS TO
ENSURE ALL CALIFORNIANS. HAVE
ACCESS TO SAFE, CLEAN,
AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER. AND
AS WE HEAR FROM SPEAKERS TODAY,
PLEASE KEEP THIS GOAL IN MIND.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE.
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE
BEFORE US AS WELL AS THE
PATHWAYS ON HOW TO IMPROVE. TO
ENSURE ON THIS PARTICULAR GOAL.
BEFORE WE START. I WANNA THANK
ALL OF THE WITNESSES IN ADVANCE
AND SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM,
COMMITTING TO NOT ONLY THIS
VISION, BUT ALSO TO THIS
CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE THAT WE'VE
SET FOR TODAY. AND SO I'LL ASK
THE FIRST, UM SET OF PANELISTS
TO COME FORWARD. AND AT THE
MOMENT, ASK ANY OF OUR
COLLEAGUES. ALOIS REES, IF YOU
WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. SURE,
I. I EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS.
UM COMMITTEE AND MORE EXCITED
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE
YEARS OF KNOWING OUR CHAIR, I'VE
KNOWN HIM TO BE A CHAMPION FOR
CLEAN, SAFE, ACCESSIBLE WATER. I
THINK HE'S EDUCATED US ON SO
MANY OF THE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY
THOSE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR MOST
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, MIND BEING
ONE OF THEM. AND SO I WANT TO
THANK OUR ESTEEMED SPEAKERS WHO
WILL BE SHARING SO GENEROUSLY OF
YOUR TIME AND YOUR EXPERTISE TO
PROVIDE US THE INFORMATION THAT
WE NEED AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN
MAKING DECISIONS FOR ALL OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. COLLEAGUE TO START THE HEARING
OFF TODAY WE HAVE MISTER JOAQUIN
ESQUIVEL, THE CHAIR OF THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.
AND I WANNA THANK HIM FOR HIS
WORK. AND CONTINUE AS UM,
ADVOCACY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
STATE ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER,
AND SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR.
THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING CHAIR
. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING AND
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU
ON CALIFORNIA'S PROGRESS ON
MEETING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER
. UM MY NAME IS JOAQUIN ESQUIVEL
. I AM CHAIR OF THE STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD,
FORTUNATE TO BE ONE OF FIVE
BOARD MEMBERS HERE AT THE STATE
WATER BOARD. I THINK, AS YOU ALL
KNOW, WE ADMINISTER WATER RIGHTS
IN THE STATE, UH, AND ALONG WITH
OUR NINE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY
CONTROL BOARDS, UH, OVERSEE
WATER QUALITY REGULATION. AND AS
OF 2014, WE REGULATE THIS, UH,
STATE, UH, OVER 7000 PUBLIC
WATER SYSTEMS. UH AND, UH, HERE
HAVE PRIMACY OVER, UH, BOTH THE
STATE AND FEDERAL SAFE DRINKING
WATER ACT. UM YOU KNOW THE IN
IMPORTANTLY, UH, HERE TO REALLY
PROVIDE SOME SOME CONTEXT TO HOW
IT IS THAT WE GOT TO WHERE WE
ARE, UH, WITH HERE NEARLY A
MILLION CALIFORNIANS WITHOUT
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER. UM, I DID
WANT TO PROVIDE JUST A BRIEF
HISTORY AND I GO LONG, SO I WILL
TRY TO KEEP IT AS BRIEF AS I
CAN. I THINK FIRST. IT'S FOR
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN
YOU LOOK AT THE LAST 200 YEARS
OF WATER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE
STATE, IT MIRRORS HERE. THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR DRINKING
WATER SYSTEMS AS WELL. WHICH IS
TO SAY, YOU KNOW, 200 YEARS AGO,
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE, UH, AGENCIES
AND THE DECISION MAKING THAT WE
HAVE NOW WE'RE NOT AS PROTECTIVE
OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT GO ON IN
THE STATE AND, UH, TO BE CANDID.
A LOT OF UNREGULATED ACTIVITY
TOOK PLACE THAT WE'RE STILL
DEALING WITH TODAY. WHETHER
THAT'S MERCURY CONTAMINATION,
WHETHER THAT'S DISCONNECTING OUR
FLOOD PLAINS. WHETHER THAT'S
REALLY ALTERING THE SYSTEMS THAT
WE FIRST FOUND HERE, AND REALLY
WHEN YOU THINK OF OUR DRINKING
WATER SYSTEMS, THE FIRST MOMENT
THAT THE STATE REALLY STARTED TO
GRAPPLE WITH THE CHALLENGE OF
PROVIDING DRINKING WATER WAS IN
1915. WHEN AT THAT POINT, IT WAS
TYPHOID THAT WAS RAVAGING. UM,
UH, COMMUNITIES AND SO AT THE
BUREAU OF UH THEN, UH,
SANITATION ENGINEERING, THERE
WAS A DRINKING WATER PROGRAM
THAT WAS CREATED. TRYING TO FAST
FORWARD THEN WHAT YOU HAVE AFTER
THAT IS 50 YEARS. STILL YET OF
DEVELOPMENT. UH, THAT DIDN'T UH,
REGULATE INDUSTRY WHERE
POLLUTANTS AND, UM DISCHARGES
INTO OUR WATERWAYS WERE LARGELY
LEFT TO LOCALS. AND SO IT REALLY
REACHED A CRISIS POINT HERE, UH,
WHEN? IN THE LATE SIXTIES, THE
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL
BOARD WAS ACTUALLY CREATED. UH,
THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER A WATER
RIGHTS OFFICE FROM 1914 SOME
POLLUTION CONTROL BOARDS FROM
THE FORTIES AND REALLY SAID WE
HAD TO GET A HANDLE ON THIS
CRISIS OF POLLUTION IN OUR
WATERWAYS BECAUSE IT WAS
LIMITING THE ABILITY FOR
CALIFORNIANS THAN 15 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS TO BE ABLE TO
DEVELOP OUR WATER RESOURCES AND
GROW. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THEREAFTER. FOUR YEARS,
PORTER COLON WAS ACTUALLY THE
MODEL FOR THE CLEAN WATER ACT
AND WHAT WE HAD WAS A SAFE
DRINKING WATER ACT AS WELL AT
THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS AND
A HUGE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL
INVESTMENT THAT EXPANDED ACCESS
TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER. SO THE
LAST 50 YEARS OF HISTORY HAVE
BEEN ABOUT THE EBB AND FLOW OF
INVESTMENT FROM, UH, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT
NOW AND KIND OF BRINGS US TO
CURRENT TIME WAS THAT, UH, FOR
ALL OF THOSE INVESTMENTS THAT
CAME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
FOR ALL THAT ATTENTION TO THIS
THAT THIS STATE AND THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PAID TO LACK OF ACCESS TO CLEAN
DRINKING WATER, THERE WAS STILL
SO MANY COMMUNITIES THAT STILL
HAD IT WITHOUT AND THAT'S WHAT
LED TO REALLY 2012. WHEN YOU
KNOW, ADOPTED THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER. THAT WAS BECAUSE
COMMUNITIES INSISTED ON ACCESS,
EVEN THOUGH THE CLEAN WATER ACT
AND THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT
AND PREVIOUS INVESTMENTS HAD
REALLY PASSED UP COMMUNITIES, UM
IT WAS THAT GENERATIONAL LACK OF
ACCESS AND THE STATE SAYING
WE'RE GOING TO OWN THAT, UH,
THAT REALLY BROUGHT US INTO THIS
MODERN DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE
HAVING QUICKLY, THEN KIND OF
TELESCOPING. JUST TWO YEARS
LATER, IN 2014, THE DIVISION OF
DRINKING, UH, THE DRINKING WATER
PROGRAM AT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH WAS ACTUALLY, UH,
TRANSFERRED. TO THE STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. AND
THERE, UH, WE HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING. WE WORKED WITH THIS
LEGISLATURE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE
TO DEVELOP AUTHORITIES THAT
DON'T EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE
NATION, UH, AROUND CONSOLIDATION
AROUND ADMINISTERED
ADMINISTRATION. UM APPRO, UH, UM
PROVIDING A MINISTERS
ADMINISTRATORS RATHER FOR
DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS AND, UH
IMPORTANTLY AS WELL DOLLARS TO
EVEN JUST BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW
MANY CALIFORNIANS, UH, WERE
WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER, BUT
IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS IT GONNA
TAKE TO ACTUALLY FULFILL THE
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER, AND THAT
BRINGS US THEN TO 2019. WHEN
GOVERNOR NEWSOM REALLY TOOK THIS
AS HIS PERSONAL CALLING AND
WORKED WITH THIS LEGISLATURE TO
FINALLY PASS A SOURCE OF FUNDING
PRIOR TO THAT, AND HERE, WE'LL
GET INTO YOU KNOW WE HAVE
PROGRAMS LIKE THE STATE
REVOLVING FUND THAT HAVE REALLY
HELPED CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
ACCESS. EXPAND ACCESS TO
DRINKING WATER, BUT, UH, NOT A
FUND THAT REALLY, UH, DRILLED
DOWN ONTO OUR CHALLENGE, WHICH
IS REALLY SMALL FEELING SYSTEMS.
UM AND SO, UH, GLAD TO BE HERE.
GLAD TO BE ABLE TO REALLY REPORT
ON THE PROGRESS THAT, UH S¼ P
THAT PASSAGE OF S¼ B 200 THE
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE FUND. UH,
AND THIS AGAIN, TELESCOPING
DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE
STATE. SO, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT
WHAT THIS CHALLENGE REALLY IS. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT OVER 95% OF CALIFORNIANS
HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE
WATER. IT'S NOT JUST CLEAN AND
SAFE WATER. IT IS ACTUALLY WATER
THAT MEETS, UH, SOME OF THE
HIGHEST STANDARDS, UH, IN THE
NATION, UM AND IT IT. THEY ARE
THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN THE
NATION. IT'S BECAUSE WE REGULATE
, UH, COMPOUNDS LIKE 123 Tð èC
P, UM IN OTHER CONSTITUENTS THAT
AT THIS POINT, THERE AREN'T
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR, UH, WE
OVERSEE AGAIN SOMEWHERE AROUND
7000 TOTAL WATER SYSTEMS. UH
ABOUT 3000 OF THOSE ARE
COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS. THAT
MEANS THAT THEY'RE SERVING, UH,
POPULATIONS OF FIF OF PERMANENT
POPULATION OF 15 CONNECTIONS OR
OR GREATER AND THEN WE HAVE A
LOT OF SMALLER SYSTEMS FROM
THERE THAT THE COUNTIES ARE
PRIMARILY, UH, REGULATING,
OVERSEEING AND THEN ALSO
DOMESTIC WELLS AS THIS CONTINUUM
OF THIS CHALLENGE OF ACCESS TO
CLEAN WATER AND ALL AND ALL
THROUGH THERE MANY DIFFERENT
FLAVORS OF WATER SYSTEMS. YOU
MIGHT HAVE A MUNICIPAL SYSTEM.
YOU MIGHT HAVE A SPECIAL
SERVICES DISTRICT. YOU MIGHT
HAVE AN INDEPENDENT, UH,
INVESTOR OWNED UTILITY. AND UH,
BRINGS YOU KNOW SOME OF THE
CHALLENGE THAT WE REALLY HAVE
WITH BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN
ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER IS JUST
SUCH A IT IS A LOCALIZED AND
DISPARATE ENDEAVOR. UH AND
IMPORTANTLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS FROM
SYSTEMS 90% OF THEM ARE FROM
SYSTEMS UNDER FIVE. CONNECTIONS
SO THERE IS A DIRECT
RELATIONSHIP OFTENTIMES WITH
HAVING THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE
AND THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN
ACCESS. BUT HERE, YOU KNOW, WE
KNOW THAT, UH, AT THE START OF
THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE, UH,
PROGRAM IN 2019 IF WE
CONSISTENTLY APPLY, UM, OUR OUR
METRICS NOW, UH, WE HAD, UH, 1.6
MILLION CALIFORNIANS WITHOUT
ACCESS THAT'S NOW DOWN TO ABOUT
900,000. IT FLUCTUATES AND IS
PART OF THE CHALLENGE. WE HAVE
SYSTEMS THAT, UM, HERE ARE ARE
AT RISK. AND THEN, UH, BECOME
FAILING AND PART OF OUR OUR
SUCCESS HAS BEEN AROUND OUR
ABILITY TO USE DATA. SO THEN
MOVING QUICKLY HERE AGAIN. YOU
KIND OF SEE THE SCALE AND SCOPE
OF OUR OUR CHALLENGE COMPARED TO
OTHER UTILITIES. WE'RE WE'RE
JUST WE HAVE SO MANY MORE
SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO
OVERSEE. SO WHAT IS THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND BEING ABLE TO
GET US AND WHEN WE, UH, RECEIVE
THIS 130 MILLION, YOU KNOW
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND PROVIDES US 100
AND 30 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS AT
THIS POINT, AND WE'RE HALFWAY
INTO IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.
WE'RE HERE IN THE FIFTH YEAR. UM
WHAT WE KNEW WAS THAT 100 AND 30
MILLION WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE
TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED.
WHAT IT PROVIDED WAS, UH, A
BASIS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
AND DOLLARS FOR THESE SMALL
SYSTEMS. UM, BUT WE ON ALL OF
THOSE OTHER AUTHORITIES THAT I
TALKED ABOUT AT THE START THAT
WE WORKED WITH THIS LEGISLATURE
ON MANDATORY CONSOLIDATION,
AUTHORITIES. AND SO HERE YOU SEE
, REALLY THE LARGER, SAFER
PROGRAM THAT WE CREATED IS
COMPOSED OF OUR DRINKING WATER
NEEDS ASSESSMENT ARE SUPPORTIVE
SYSTEMS OUTREACH, YES, FUNDING
SOURCES, BUT ALSO THE REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES. WE HAVE AND
IMPORTANTLY HERE, THE SAFER
ADVISORY GROUP. I WANT TO NOTE
THAT SOME OF THE PANELISTS THAT
WILL BE FOLLOWING ME ARE MEMBERS
OF THAT ADVISORY GROUP. AND IT
HAS BEEN SO CRITICAL BECAUSE WE
HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE AN OPEN EAR.
OPEN MIND AND IMPORTANTLY,
SYNTHESIZING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE
OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH THIS
CHALLENGE OF ACCESS TO CLEAN
WATER. UM SO HERE? UH, UH, AGAIN
IS KIND OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE
PROGRAM AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN
USING. AND UH, I. I WON'T TICK
THROUGH ALL THESE. I DON'T WANNA
TAKE. UH, TOO MUCH TIME. I'LL
I'LL FAST AND MOVE INTO, UM,
WHAT WE'VE BEEN USING IN SO FAR
AS OUR FUNDING SOURCES. UM,
AGAIN, AS I NOTED, THE 130
MILLION, UM IS GOOD MONEY. IT'S
FOUNDATIONAL MONEY. IT ALLOWS US
THOUGH. TO REALLY TAP. WHAT ARE
MULTIPLE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR
THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE
STATE REVOLVING FUND, UH
INCLUDING, UH, PPF S¼, GENERAL,
UH, FUND SUPPORT. UM, WE HAVE
PRINCIPAL FORGIVENESS AS WELL
FROM THE STATE REVOLVING
PROGRAMS. WE HAVE BOND DOLLARS
AND REALLY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO IS USE ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT
WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ARE
ARE MAXIMIZING. WHAT IS THIS
INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE? FROM
THE FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND
IMPORTANTLY, UM, LOOKING TO MEET
? UH, THIS INCREDIBLE GOAL WE
HAVE. SO HOW ARE WE DOING ON
MEETING SOME OF THAT? WELL ON
GETTING DOLLARS OUT. I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE FOR THE STATE
REVOLVING FUND, YOU KNOW, FOR
EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE
LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATES FOR
MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE FEDERAL
STATE REVOLVING FUNDS, THAT'S
FIVE. DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING BACK
DOWN AND IN TOTAL, UH SINCE 2014
THE STATE BOARD IS ACTUALLY
INVESTED, UH, HERE AND I'LL JUST
MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY
$17.2 BILLION, AND THAT'S UH 2.7
IN THE DRINKING WATER STATE
REVOLVING FUND 7.7 BILLION IN
THE CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING
FUND. THAT'S A LOT OF WASTEWATER
AND WATER RECYCLING. THEY GO
GOES OUT AND IMPORTANTLY, 3.4
BILLION OF THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN
IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. UM
AND I THINK, WANNA MAKE SURE I
KNOW. GO THEN, TO THE REAL
METRICS OF WHAT? ALL THAT
FUNDING HAS GOTTEN US. UM WHAT
WE NOW HAVE ARE IN THESE METRICS
. I'LL NOTE AS YOU CAN SEE OUR
OUR OUR TO JUNE OF 2023. UM
WHICH, UH, DOESN'T ENCOMPASS ALL
THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO THIS YEAR, BUT, UM, WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO BRING BACK 200
SYSTEMS INTO COMPLIANCE THAT
WE'RE FAILING THAT $620 MILLION
IN GRANTS TO DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. UH, WE'VE
ACCELERATED 385 PROJECTS THROUGH
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND
ASSISTED 4600 HOUSEHOLDS WITH
INTERIM WATER SOLUTIONS. I'LL
NOTE THERE AS WE ALL KNOW WHAT
WE'VE EXPERIENCED THESE LAST
YEARS SINCE PASSAGE OF THE SAFE
AND AFFORDABLE FUND IS ANOTHER
TURN OF DROUGHT THAT WAS IN PART
PART OF THE IN WHICH YOU KNOW
THE 2012 THROUGH 2015 DROUGHT
WAS PART OF THE REAL MOMENTUM TO
PASS THE 2019 SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND BECAUSE OF THE
DRY WELLS THAT WE SAW BECAUSE OF
THE LACK OF ACCESS AND THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE SAW FROM
DROUGHT, CERTAINLY THEN AND TO
STILL BE THROWN BACK INTO
DROUGHT SO QUICKLY TO HAVE TO
RESPOND TO COVID AND TO STILL BE
ABLE TO, UH, BOOT UP THIS
PROGRAM AND HAVE NUMBERS LIKE
THIS AND METRICS THAT SHOW UH A
LOT OF MOMENTUM IS GREAT TO SEE.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A
LOT OF CHALLENGE HERE BEFORE US.
SO HERE AGAIN, I WON'T YOU KNOW,
GO OVER AND OVER OR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT IT IS, UH,
YOU KNOW, WE ARE PROUD OF THE
FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
HELP 2 MILLION CALIFORNIANS. UH,
SINCE 2014. WE'VE HAD 100 AND 20
SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
CONSOLIDATED. THAT'S A AGAIN
GOING BACK TO THOSE MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION, AUTHORITIES AND
CONSOLIDATIONS. GENERALLY THAT'S
NOT ALL MANDATORY CONSOLIDATIONS
. A LOT OF THAT IS VOLUNTARY,
WHICH IS REALLY THE SORT OF
DISCUSSION AND ULTIMATELY THE
SUCCESS OF OUR WORK IS REALLY,
UH, DEPENDENT UPON DISPARATE
LEADERSHIP THAT WE'RE TAPPING
AND AGAIN, YOU'LL HEAR FROM
OTHERS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
WORK WITH, UH, ON THE PROGRAM
THAT HAVE ACCELERATED, UM, A LOT
OF CRITICAL DISCUSSIONS IN
COMMUNITIES. UM AND HERE I'LL GO
TO MY NEXT SLIDE. SO BEING ABLE
TO HEAR, UM NÓ YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHAT IS COMING NEXT? YOU KNOW?
WE'RE WE'RE COGNIZANT THAT, UH,
THAT, UH YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH
PF, UH, COMING UP HERE IN THE
SPRING FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT? UM THERE'S A CHROME
SIX THAT THE STATE BOARD AS A
MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LIMIT THAT
WE'RE CONSIDERING, UM THERE'S
CLIMATE CHANGE PRESSURES.
THERE'S A LOT THAT NOT JUST OUR
SMALL FAILING SYSTEMS, BUT OUR
DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS, UH,
GENERALLY WILL NEED TO BE ABLE
TO RESPOND TO AND INCLUDES
CLIMATE CHANGE. SO HERE, YOU
KNOW THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'LL
BE MAKING AND SAY WATER
RECYCLING AND TREATMENT. AND
CONTINUING TO ENSURE THAT, UH,
THAT 95% CONTINUES TO GROW THAT
WE GET TO 100. WHEN IT COMES TO
THE, UH, MEETING. THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER IS GONNA REQUIRE
CONTINUED FUNDING, UM, IS GONNA
REQUIRE CONTINUED, UH, HERE, UH,
ATTENTION TO THIS CHALLENGES
THAT ARE SMALL, FAILING SYSTEMS
IMPORTANTLY, ARE FACING BUT ALSO
OUR DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS ARE
AT LARGE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO
BE MINDFUL THAT YOU KNOW THE
MANY SMALL SYSTEMS FACE
TECHNICAL, MANAGERIAL, FINANCIAL
, UH, CHALLENGES AND WHEN WE SAY
, UH GO TO, UH, SAN FRANCISCO
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OR
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
WATER AND POWER, THE LEVEL OF
SERVICE THAT COMES FROM US AS AN
AGENCY IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN
THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR A SMALL
SYSTEM WITH A BOARD THAT MAY
ONLY MEET, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERY,
UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS OR OR MAY
ONLY HAVE A PART TIME OPERATOR
SO, UH, SO MUCH OF OUR FOCUS
WILL NEED TO BE ON CONTINUING TO
SUPPORT THROUGH TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. SO SMALL SYSTEMS.
UM, BUT THEN, UH, ALSO, UH,
CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, MEET AGAIN. WHAT WE KNOW
IS A HUGE CHALLENGE STILL YET
HERE WITHIN THE STATE, BUT WHEN
YOU LOOK NATIONALLY NÓ OTHER
STATE IN THE NATION HAS DATA
LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE NEEDS
ASSESSMENT. DASHBOARD HAS, UH,
PROGRAMS AND FUNDING AND
EMPHASIS ON THIS CHALLENGE, UH,
AND HAVE TAKEN IT AS SERIOUSLY
AS A NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION AND
THIS UM, SO YOU KNOW. SOME SOME
LESSONS LEARNED AND A COUPLE OF
THINGS TO JUST LEAVE US WITH,
YOU KNOW, FIRST RELIABLE,
TRANSPARENT, UH, DATA ABOUT
SYSTEMS, INCLUDING HOW THEY'RE
FUNCTIONING AND WHY THEY FAIL IS
CRITICAL TO ANY PROGRESS IN THIS
WORK HAVING THIS DATA AND MAKING
IT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE,
INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY AND
MUNICIPAL PARTNERS MEANS THAT WE
CAN BE INFORMED AND WE CAN
STRATEGICALLY APPROACH SUSTAINED
SOLUTIONS. SECOND AGAIN, THIS
WILL TAKE A VILLAGE IT REALLY IT
REQUIRES. THE COLLECTIVE
LEADERSHIP OF A LOT OF LOCAL
AGENCIES AND THERE. I WANNA KNOW
THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER
DISTRICT, AND I KNOW UH, VICE,
UH, PRESIDENT, UH, CASTEL
ESTRADA WILL WILL BE FOR US HERE
ON, UH, ABOUT SOME OF THAT WORK,
BUT THERE'S OTHER AGENCIES AS
WELL. LIKE PLASTER COUNTY WATER
AGENCY. I THINK OF THE NEWLY
FORMED UH, YAYA WATER AUTHORITY,
WHICH IS CONSOLIDATING SYSTEMS.
THERE'S A LOT OF LEADERSHIP IN,
UH IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT IN ORDER
FOR US TO REALLY MEET THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER. UM, AND THEN,
YOU KNOW, I THINK THINK THIRD. I
WANNA MAKE SURE AND LEAVE WITH
THE SUSTAINABLE DRINKING WATER
SOLUTIONS AREN'T A ONE SIZE FITS
ALL. YOU HAVE TO FIND A SOLUTION
THAT WORKS FOR A COMMUNITY WHICH
REQUIRES EXTENSIVE PLANNING,
FORETHOUGHT IN CAPITAL AND
ULTIMATELY WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WHAT WE KNOW IS GONNA BE A
CONTINUED CHALLENGES, BUT A LOT
OF MOMENTUM AND A LOT OF
HUMILITY, ULTIMATELY AS WELL, UM
, AS YOU KNOW, CHAIR COMING FROM
THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY. I
TAKE VERY PERSONALLY, BUT THEY
ARE GENERATIONAL GAPS IN ACCESS.
UH, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE
MOMENTUM WE HAVE. STILL YET, UH,
THE WORK THAT'S BEFORE US. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. I'M GONNA ASK MY
COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR YOU AT
THE AT THE MOMENT. I DO WANT TO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION, AND I THINK THAT,
UM, GOING BACK TO MY OPENING
COMMENTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR
CHAIR HAS OVER THE YEARS TALKED
ABOUT THE MILLION CALIFORNIANS
WITHOUT GOOD DRINKING WATER,
SAFE DRINKING WATER. THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT QUITE FRANKLY
IMPACTED ME BECAUSE IT WAS
SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW. SO
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AUDITORS
REPORT, IT IS ONE OF THE ONE OF
THE COMMENTS THAT IS MADE AND I
APPRECIATED YOUR LAST COMMENT,
UM, THAT SOMETIMES WE ACCEPT
THESE THINGS WITH HUMILITY
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE
PERSONALLY FOR WHAT'S IN THIS
AUDIT REPORT. UM BUT AS THE
CHAIR NOW, THEN THEN TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT WE DO TO MAKE IT
BETTER. UM I THINK EVERYBODY
WOULD AGREE. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE
TO HAVE A MILLION PEOPLE IN BY
YOUR YOUR YOUR STATEMENT, YOU
SAID IT'S NOW DOWN TO 800,000 A
NUMBER LESS THAN A MILLION. UM,
BUT THAT FOR ME WHEN I FIRST
HEARD IT FROM FROM OUR CHAIR,
YEARS BACK IT IT REALLY DID
IMPACT ME. UM UM SO HEARING YOU
KNOW SOMETHING THAT THAT THAT
THAT THERE IS MORE THAT IS BEING
DONE, UM, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT
I WAS MOST INVOLVED WITH OVER
THE YEARS HAS BEEN THE LEAD IN
WATER AND HOW THAT IS IMPACTING
OUR CHILDREN AND HOW THAT'S IT
WILL IMPACT THEM FOR THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES. IT ISN'T SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN TAKE. SOME
TREATMENT AND YOU'LL BE FINE IT
THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THEY
WILL HAVE THE LEARNING
DISABILITIES DEPENDING ON HOW
MUCH OF THAT LED THEY HAVE
INGESTED. UM BUT IF FROM THE
AUDIT THEY TALK ABOUT LIVER AND
KIDNEY PROBLEMS. UM THEY THEY
TALK ABOUT, UH, CANCER. UM THESE
ARE THINGS THAT IMPACT AND AGAIN
IT'S OUR MOST DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. I APPRECIATED THE
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IN OUR, UM
IN IN IN IN THE DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES, AND THE OTHER IS
II. I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT
FUNDING. UM BUT ONE OF THE
AUDITORS FINDINGS WAS THAT THE
FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE. TO HELP
THESE FAILING WATER SYSTEMS, BUT
THE PROCESSING TAKES SO MUCH
TIME AND THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE
SHORTENED. THE MONITORING OF THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT YOU
TALKED ABOUT, AND ALSO, UH, JUST
THE OUTREACH AND TRYING TO DO
MORE ON THE OUTREACH. UM AGAIN,
IT IT ISN'T YOU GET TO BE THE
MESSENGER. SO YOU GET TO HEAR,
UM, OUR OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS,
BUT IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE
PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA AND THEY
DEPEND ON US. THERE WERE
RECOMMENDATIONS. PART OF THAT
WAS LEGISLATION THAT WE NEED TO
NEED TO INTRODUCE TO HELP. WITH
WITH TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MY
QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT WHAT
WOULD YOU LIKE THE LEGISLATURE
TO DO? UM TO UNTIE YOUR HANDS TO
TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT ARE BEFORE YOU. UM WE
REALLY DO DEPEND ON YOU TO TAKE
CARE OF THE REMAINING 800,000.
THIS IS LONG TERM. IT'S ALWAYS
THE SAME PEOPLE. IT'S ALWAYS THE
SAME COMMUNITIES AND IT IS THE
ONES WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD TO BE
IMPACTED THE WAY THEY ARE
IMPACTED. I COMPLETELY AGREE,
UH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND ATTENTION ON THIS AS WELL.
UM I'M WITH YOU, YOU KNOW THE
NUMBER WHEN WE AS CALIFORNIANS I
KNOW AS AS I GREW UP IN, NOT
HERE, HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT
ACCESS TO WATER, BUT KNOWING
WHEN I GO TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S,
UH, RANCH THAT YOU KNOW, WE
DON'T DRINK THE WELL. WATER WE
HAVE BOTTLED WATER. UM SEEING
THOSE THOSE THOSE DICHOTOMIES,
UH, IT IT'S EASY. UM, I THINK
MOST OF US TO NOT REALIZE THAT
FOR AGAIN BECAUSE 95% OVER 95%
OF CALIFORNIANS HAVE ACCESS TO
CLEAN WATER THAT THERE ARE THERE
ARE COMMUNITIES AND THERE ARE
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVEN'T, UH,
HAD ACCESS FOR GENERATIONS. UM I
APPRECIATED THE AUDIT. UH, TRULY
, AND WHEN YOU READ THE CONTENT
OF THE AUDIT, UH, IT REFLECTS
WHAT WAS A LOT OF GOOD
DISCUSSION WITH OUR FOLKS AROUND
THE CONTINUING TO NEED TO HAVE
AN EYE ON GETTING DOLLARS OUT
FASTER. BUT, UH, ALSO, UM WHAT
YOU KNOW WAS UNFORTUNATE, I
THINK IS THAT IT EDITORIALIZED
THE HEADLINE OF A LACK OF
URGENCY AT THE BOARD. UM, THAT I
KNOW ISN'T REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IS
THIS THIS MOMENTUM AND A LOT OF
INVESTMENT THAT IS GOING OUT
INTO COMMUNITIES. UM I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE AUDIT
DIDN'T FIND WASTE FRAUD OR ABUSE
. UH, AMONGST ITS FINDINGS, UM
AND SO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS
MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN
EXPEDITED DRINKING WATER PROGRAM
. UH, THAT WE ADOPTED. UH, SINCE
THEN, IT WAS ONE THAT WE WERE
WORKING ON AND IMPORTANTLY
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, UH, WE ARE
TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
WITHIN OUR OWN REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES TO JUST CUT THROUGH,
UM, WHERE WE CAN, AND
IMPORTANTLY, UM, THESE ARE VERY,
UH, OFTENTIMES DIFFICULT, UH,
TECHNICAL PROJECTS THAT, UM
SOMETIMES IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS.
UH, WHAT THOSE TIMELINES TAKE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET TO REAL
COMMUNITIES WITHOUT CAPACITY,
AND IT'S WHY IT'S BEEN SO
IMPORTANT TO TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE IS THERE IT'S GOOD
THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WE
HAVE METRICS ON WHAT THAT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS
DELIVERING FOR THE PROJECTS. BUT
WHAT IT'S DOING IS CREATING THAT
PIPELINE FOR COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF. SAY YOU KNOW, I, I
THINK OF THE AMERICAN RECOVERY
ACT. I THINK IT WAS AND THOSE
ARE FUNDING WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE
SHOVEL. READY UM, OUR
COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE SHOVEL
READY PROJECTS. UH, BECAUSE OF
JUST THIS GENERATIONAL LACK OF
INVESTMENT SOMETIMES. SO UM, WE
SO I AGAIN I APPRECIATE THE
AUDIT. UM I THINK IT'S HEADLINE
CREATED THIS. THIS SENSE OF
GENERALLY THAT THE BOARD ISN'T
UP. THE TASK AND WHAT I HOPE TO
CONTINUE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE WE'RE COMMUNICATING WHAT
WE'RE DOING, AND TO YOUR POINT
WHERE ARE THE STUMBLING BLOCKS?
AND I THINK THAT, UM YOU KNOW, I
WON'T. I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TO,
UH, YOU KNOW, TO APPLY OPINE
ABSENT SOME SOME FURTHER THOUGHT
FOR YOU, BUT, UM, OUR MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION AUTHORITIES ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT. THEY WOULD
HELP US, YOU KNOW, DRIVE, UH TO
SOLUTIONS WHEN SOMETIMES THERE'S
RESISTANCE AND YOU KNOW, THERE
MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT IS A PROCESS THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO. USE MORE, UH, IF
NEEDED, UH, SO THAT WE REALLY
SET THAT EXPECTATION AND GET
FOLKS UM, CONNECTED AND
ULTIMATELY, UH, CONSOLIDATION IS
ONE OF OUR STRONGEST TOOLS. UH,
FOR, UH UH, ENSURING THAT WE
HAVE ACCESS INTO THE FUTURE
BECAUSE THERE REALLY ARE THOSE
ECONOMIES OF SCALE THE SYSTEMS
AND COMMUNITIES NEED IF THEY'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO NOT JUST
HAVE ACCESS NOW, BUT MAINTAIN IT
. SO UM SO THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR QUESTIONS,
I. I KNOW AGAIN. THE AUDIT MAY
HAVE NOT HAVE PAINTED THE BOARD
AND THE BEST LIGHT SOMETIMES,
BUT AGAIN, I WELCOME ALL THE
GOOD CONTENT THAT WAS IN THERE
IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE
TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT 95% I MEAN, THAT'S A
BIG NUMBER. SO I APPLAUD YOU ON
THAT. AND UM AGAIN, YOU GET TO
BE THE MESSENGER, UM, IT'S JUST
SOMETHING THAT IS OF GREAT
CONCERN. AND UH, COUNT ON THE
LEGISLATURE BECAUSE WE ARE IT IS
WE ARE CONCERNED COLLECTIVELY
AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP
IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SO THAT
YOU THEN ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE
SAFE, AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER
FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS. REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT AND LEGISLATURE
HAS BEEN SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF
THIS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT
CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. UM THANK YOU FOR
ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS AND
THANK YOU FOR LEADING THAT. UM I
JUST HAVE ONE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. THE 900,000
CALIFORNIANS THAT HAVE LACK OF
ACCESS. DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE? DO WE HAVE THIS LOCATION?
THE CITIES? WE DO, UH, WE HAVE
THANKFULLY, UH, THANKS TO, UH
WHAT WAS A THREE MILLION DOLLAR
ONE TIME INVESTMENT FROM THE
LEGISLATURE JUST BEFORE WE
ADOPTED THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
FUND IN 2019. WE DID WHAT'S
KNOWN AS A DRINKING WATER NEEDS
ASSESSMENT. UM THAT BROUGHT
TOGETHER DOZENS OF METRICS. UH,
DOZEN. PLUS I THINK IT IS, UM
AROUND WHAT IS THE TECHNICAL,
MANAGERIAL FINANCIAL? UH
STANDING OF THESE SYSTEMS? WHAT
ARE THE CONTAMINANTS THAT MAY BE
EXPOSED TO? UM, HOW CLOSE ARE
THEY? TO A SUCCESSFUL, YOU KNOW,
ONE WELL RUN SYSTEM SO THAT WE
STARTED TO GET ACTUAL DOLLARS ON
NOT JUST THE NEED. THAT'S OUT
THERE. BUT WHAT IS IT GONNA COST
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE
HUMAN RIGHTS? WATER? UM, THAT?
UH UH, DASHBOARD IS AVAILABLE ON
OUR WEBSITE. IT'S LIVE IN SO FAR
AS IT IS UPDATED REGULARLY WITH
WHAT ARE THE CURRENTLY FAILING
SYSTEMS, UM AND WHAT WE KNOW AND
HERE BECAUSE OF OUR BETTER
UNDERSTANDING AND DATA IS THAT
WE HAVE SYSTEMS THAT ARE AT RISK
THAT YOU KNOW MAY HAVE AN E.
COLI VIOLATION, AND SO THEY THEY
COME ONLINE BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW
SOME CHALLENGE, BUT IT MAY BE
ADDRESSED. SO THEY GO BACK OFF,
RIGHT? THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE
NÓ LONGER SEEN AS OUT OF
COMPLIANCE, BUT IT'S THAT IT'S
THE THAT KIND OF OSCILLATING, IF
YOU WILL IS A WARNING SIGN FOR
US. IT'S A BLINKING SIGN RIGHT
WHERE WE SEE A SYSTEM THAT IS,
YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE A REPORTING
VIOLATION. THEY FORGOT TO REPORT
BUT THAT CAN BE SIGNS OF SOME
GREATER CHALLENGE IN THE SYSTEM
AND INTERVENING WITH THOSE
SYSTEMS WHILE THEY'RE AT RISK IS
BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY
OF THE BOARDS AT THIS POINT,
BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO GET
UPSTREAM. YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME
THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED, IT MEANS
THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN, YOU KNOW
A LOT OF DISINVESTMENT. THERE'S
MULTIPLE ISSUES AND SOMETIMES
AND IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO THEN
ADDRESS THE ISSUE. UM SO WE DO
HAVE THAT DATA AND IMPORTANTLY,
WHAT WE HAVE IS A LOT MORE OTHER
DATA THAT'S GIVING US A FULLER
PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE.
I THINK YOU KNOW, WITH A
POPULATION OF NEARLY 40 MILLION,
YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE THE SIZE OF
CAÑADA. SO IT'S REALLY A YOU
KNOW, TRYING TO THINK ABOUT IN
SUPPORTING AND ADMINISTERING
SYSTEMS AND ALMOST A NATIONAL
STATE SCALE. AND DO YOU GUYS
HAVE OUTREACH TO THOSE
COMMUNITIES, LETTING THEM KNOW
THAT THEIR WATER IS
CONTAMINATED? YES. SO THE WATER
SYSTEMS èC ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
MEETING THE LAWS OF THE SAFE
DRINKING WATER ACT AND THE
FEDERAL DRINKING WATER ACT.
WE'RE THERE TO REGULATE THOSE
SYSTEMS AND MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE THEY'RE FOLLOWING THOSE
LAWS, WHICH INCLUDE NOTICE SO
SYSTEMS WHEN THEY ARE NÓ LONGER
SERVING SAFE WATER HAVE TO
NOTICE AND, AND, IMPORTANTLY,
UH, WE HAVE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE
ONE ART DIVISION OF DRINKING
WATER, WHICH HAS THE ENGINEERS
AND THE RELATE THE TECHNICAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SYSTEM.
BUT THANKS TO THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND, WE ACTUALLY
ALSO HAVE THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION WITH A LOT MORE
FOLKS, SO WE HAVE REAL FOLKS
WITH COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE TO
ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITIES, NOT
JUST THE ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE
TO DEAL WITH THE WATER SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT'S I'VE I'VE BEEN
VERY PROUD OF AGAIN THE
RESOURCES THAT THIS THIS
LEGISLATURE HAS PROVIDED US THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN A
CHAMPION FOR AND THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO ACTUALLY BRIDGE A REAL
DISCUSSION HERE AND THEN ON THE
FLIP SIDE OF THAT, ON THE
POSITIVE SIDE, YOU ALSO SAID
THAT YOU GUYS AND CLEAN ABOUT
900,000 CALIFORNIANS WITH CLEAN
DRINKING WATER, I. I WOULD HOPE
THAT YOU HAVE THAT. ON YOUR
WEBSITE AS WELL. YES, WE'RE
TRYING TO SHOW THE FULL PICTURE
RIGHT? WHAT IS THE STATUS? HOW
MANY SYSTEMS ARE ARE NOT MEETING
HOW MANY ARE MEETING AND, UH
WHAT ARE YOU KNOW AGAIN? AS I? I
SAID THERE ARE FUTURE CHALLENGES
HERE. WE HAVE PFAS AS A MAXIMUM
CONTAMINANT LIMIT THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO
BE COMING OUT WITH THE SPRING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK IN THE
STATE THAT WE'RE DOING THERE,
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. YOU
KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THREATS
TO DRINKING WATER SYSTEM,
WHETHER IT'S PF S¼ OR
MICROPLASTICS OR CHROME SIX, YOU
KNOW THESE ARE ALL RISK BASED
SYSTEMS. WHERE, WHERE AND
DARLING BACK TO YOU KNOW, BACK
WHEN TYPHOID OUTBREAKS WERE
HAPPENING, AND YOU KNOW THERE
USED TO BE, UH, WE'VE COME A
LONG WAY. WE STILL HAVE A LONG
WAY TO GO, THOUGH. TO REALLY
DRILL DOWN FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU CHAIR. GOOD QUESTIONS, UM,
IN REGARDS TO THE AUDIT GOOD
QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF REMAINING
CALIFORNIANS WHO ARE REQUIRE
ACCESS. I WANNA TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION. COMMENT THAT YOU
MADE, UM YOU KNOW, NOT
EVERYWHERE IN CALIFORNIA. THERE,
THE POLICY AND THE POLITICS
ALIGN, UH, FOR PURPOSES OF
EXECUTING THE END GOAL HERE. AND
THIS, UH, MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION. UM CONCEPT IDEA
THAT YOU PUT FORWARD HERE CAN
CAN WE TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT
THAT? BECAUSE I, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT, UM THAT THIS
LEGISLATURE HERE MORE ABOUT WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE IMPEDIMENTS AND
PERHAPS WE'LL HEAR THAT FROM
SOME OF THE OTHER. UH SPEAKERS,
UH, FOLLOWING YOU TO WHAT?
WHAT'S IN THE WAY OF US,
ENSURING THAT, UH, ALL
CALIFORNIAN OF ACCESS, RIGHT AND
WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM SOME
OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, THAT THE
PROGRAM DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE
THERE ARE AGENCIES LOCALLY THAT
DON'T WANT TO CONSOLIDATE THE
DON'T WANT TO TAKE ON FILLING
SYSTEMS THAT DON'T WANT TO TAKE
ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF, UH
AND LIABILITIES RIGHT OF
COMMUNITIES, UH, WHO ARE A
FINANCIAL BURDEN? A UH TO THEIR
SYSTEM AND SO LET LET'S SPEND A
LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS
MANDATORY CONSOLIDATION,
AUTHORITY OR POWER THAT PERHAPS,
UM COULD BE CONTEMPLATED BY THIS
LEGISLATURE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
THIS END GOAL. YEAH. I
APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR. I'LL NOTE
WE HAVE THE AUTHORITIES NOW, BUT
, UM, AGAIN, I AND I'LL I'LL I
WANT TO INVITE UP. ACTUALLY
DARREN PHAM, OUR, UH, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
DRINKING WATER, UM AND I HAVE AS
WELL WITH ME AND I WANTED TO
APOLOGIZE. I MEANT TO INTRODUCE
AFTER MY COMMENTS. UH, JOE
KARKOWSKI, WHO'S THE HEAD OF OUR
DIVISION OF FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE, JOE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT
BE HELPFUL TO BE UP HERE AS WELL
AS WE AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THIS, UM AND SO, UH, DARREN,
MAYBE JUST HAND IT TO YOU. I
KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
MANDATORY CONSOLIDATIONS THAT
WE'VE GONE THROUGH. UH, THERE'S
A NUMBER IN THE HOPPER. WE HAVE
A TON OF VOLUNTARY
CONSOLIDATIONS, WHICH IS REALLY
THE MORE IDEAL WHEN COMMUNITIES
CAN COME TOGETHER AND WE DON'T
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE DICTATING
HOW, UM, THE SYSTEMS DO. UM BUT,
UH, TO THE CHAIR'S QUESTION. I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY. I'M I'M HAPPY TO
TALK ABOUT IT IT IT'S UH, IT'S
REALLY AN ORIGINAL IDEA THAT I
THINK CALIFORNIA SHOULD TAKE
CREDIT FOR THE TO THE NATION IS
STARTING TO LOOK AT IT A LITTLE
BIT, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF, UH
US TO UNPACK IN IT. WE ENTERED
INTO IT CAUTIOUSLY. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT COMMUNITIES
REMAIN INVOLVED, RIGHT? WE DON'T
WANT TO BE A DICTATOR, DICTATOR,
STATE OR IMPOSITION ON THE
COMMUNITIES WHEN WE'RE PUTTING
THEM TOGETHER. WE'RE ALSO VERY
SENSITIVE TO SOMETIMES THESE
COMMUNITIES ARE SEPARATED FOR
THE WRONG REASONS. REDLINING YOU
KNOW, EXCLUSION OF PRACTICE. UM
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF
THOSE REALLY UGLY REASONS THAT
MAY HAVE SEPARATED HIM. AND
PUTTING THEM TOGETHER IS
SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO
DELIBERATELY IN A FASHION THAT
THAT MAKES SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S
PROTECTED IN THAT SPACE. SO OUR
EARLY FORAY INTO THIS PUT A LOT
OF SAFEGUARDS. THERE'S A LOT OF
PUBLIC PROCESS THAT GOES INTO
SETTING THAT UP. I THINK NOW
AFTER FIVE YEARS OR SO OF OUR
EXPERIENCE ON IT, IT'S A IT'S A
GOOD TIME TO REFLECT ON WITH US
AND OUR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE PARTNERS AND THE WATER
SPACE ABOUT WHAT MAYBE WE SHOULD
CONTEMPLATE AS FAR AS
ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE IT QUICKER.
ONE OF THE THINGS UM, WE DID SEE
JUST WE SHOULD WE SHOULD BACK UP
FOR ONE SECOND, TOO, AND SAY
THAT THE CREDIBLE THREAT WAS AS
IMPORTANT AS ACTUALLY HAVING THE
AUTHORITY. RIGHT WE SAW WE WENT
FROM AN AVERAGE OF FOUR
CONSOLIDATIONS A YEAR PRIOR TO
THE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO US TO
OVER 40 IN THE INTERVENING YEARS
, AND THAT IS AAA HUGE
IMPROVEMENT. UM THAT WE SAW.
WHAT THE CHALLENGES WE SEE. NOW
ARE SOME UN TIMING. THERE ARE
SOME BUILT IN TIME FRAMES THAT
WE MIGHT WANT TO SHORTEN AROUND
NOTICING IN THE LIKES BECAUSE
YOU KNOW, WE AGAIN WE WANTED TO
GIVE THE COMMUNITIES TIME TO
COME TO SOLUTION. BUT THERE ARE
THERE ARE OBVIOUS POINTS NOW
WHERE WE CAN. WE CAN SEE FROM
OUR PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO AND SO WHY WAIT THE
FULL SIX MONTHS THAT THE STATUTE
REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE
SHOULD ACCELERATE SOME OF THOSE
THINGS AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT
PART THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE
AS WELL IS NOT ALL COMMUNITIES
CAN PHYSICALLY CONNECT. WE NEED
TO PROBABLY EXPAND OUR THINKING
ABOUT CONSOLIDATION AND THE
MANAGERIAL CONSOLIDATION BECAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES
THAT CAN BE GAINED JUST BY
HAVING ONE PROFESSIONAL GROUP
THAT'S LED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THAT YOU KNOW, OVERSEES THE
BILLING AND THE EQUIPMENT AND
THE LIKES SO TO BRING THAT.
TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW, TRYING TO
DO THAT WILL BE A REALLY
IMPORTANT PART. NÓ. THANK YOU,
UM I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER YOU KNOW,
AND MAYBE THE AUDIT HAS SOME
CORRELATIONS TO THE ISSUE OF
TIMELINES AND SHORTENING THOSE
PROCESSES IN ORDER TO GET TO THE
END GOAL. UM FOR THESE
CONSOLIDATION TO OCCUR, RIGHT?
WHEN I HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES
THAT THE PROGRAM ISN'T WORKING
MANY TIMES, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE
POLITICS ON THE GROUND. UH, THE
POLICY IS WORKING AND MANY OTHER
PLACES AND I, YOU KNOW, I HATE
TO ALWAYS SAY, WELL, IT'S
WORKING IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY
BECAUSE THEY SAY, WELL, YOU WERE
PART OF THE KIND OF YOU KNOW
AUTHOR OF THE LEGISLATION. MAYBE
THAT NÓ IT IT. IT WAS A VERY
WELL THOUGHT OUT. YOU KNOW,
STATEWIDE, YOU KNOW, APPROACH
THAT WAS TAKEN TO ADDRESS THIS
ISSUE. IT WASN'T YOU KNOW,
THOUGHT OF JUST IN THE LENS OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR REGION.
IT WAS YOU KNOW, A CRISIS THAT
WAS THOUGHT OUT FOR SOME TIME.
AND UM, BUT IT'S THE POLITICS
THAT THAT ARE GETTING IN THE WAY
LOCALLY. WHERE AGENCIES ARE JUST
SAYING WE'RE WE'RE NOT
INTERESTED IN TAKING ON THESE
RESPONSIBILITIES RIGHT? AND THE
INCENTIVES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH,
RIGHT? UM TO TAKE ON THE
FINANCIAL BURDENS IS KIND OF THE
FEEDBACK RIGHT? AND IN SOME
CASES, I HATE TO SAY THERE'S
ALSO WE DON'T WANT TO SERVE
THOSE FOLKS. I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD
THAT AND, UH, AND THE FACT IS,
IS THAT THIS MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION EFFORT, I THINK IS
THE ONLY WAY IN SOME CASES THAT
WE WILL GET TO ERADICATING THE
SAFE. CLEAN DRINKING WATER. UM
PROBLEM IN CALIFORNIA. I DON'T
KNOW IF LIKE COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT FRONT OR
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT. I I
APPRECIATE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, UM, MR CHAIR, AND
I THINK THAT, UH, CONSOLIDATION
IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU'VE DONE. BUT YOU'RE
RIGHT. THE LOCAL POLITICS
SOMETIMES DO HINDER THOSE
EFFORTS. AND IF IT IS MANDATORY,
THEN THERE ISN'T THE CHOICE. UM
WE SORT OF TAKE THE POLITICS OUT
OF IT. WE REQUIRE THAT IT BE
DONE BECAUSE WE ALREADY SAW FROM
FROM, UH, THE INFORMATION
PROVIDED FOR THOSE THAT ARE 500
OR LESS. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT
ARE MOST IMPACTED. SO IF WE KNOW
THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE PUT THOSE 500 WITH ANOTHER
500, THEN THEY'RE NÓ LONGER. UH
THERE ARE LESS RESOURCES BEING
USED BY THE STATE TO MONITOR ALL
THESE SMALL GROUPS. I RECOGNIZE
SOME OF THEM WANT THE AUTONOMY,
BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE
AGAIN HOW WE SERVE ALL OF
CALIFORNIA. I DON'T HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE
YOU TALKING ABOUT LESSONS
LEARNED. I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTIONS AGAIN ABOUT THE AUDIT
AND, UH, SPENDING SOME TIME
ABOUT THE MANDATORY
CONSOLIDATION. JUST APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR
ACCESSIBILITY AND, UM, LOOKING
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ON
THIS ISSUE. I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UM
SOME GOOD DIALOGUE COMES OUT OF
THE NEXT, UH, GROUP OF SPEAKERS.
AND UM YOU KNOW IF, UH IT MAKES
SENSE, YOU KNOW, SAFER. TWO
POINT Ó. KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW,
PERSPECTIVES. LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSALS CAN COME FROM, UH, A
DIALOGUE LIKE THIS TO ONLY MAKE
THE PROGRAM A MUCH MORE. FOR
ONE, AND SO JUST AGAIN. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS. I KNOW YOU'LL BE HERE
FOR THE REST OF THE DIALOGUE. I
WILL BE HERE FOR THE REST OF THE
DIALOGUE AND JUST THANK YOU. I
REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I
THINK IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
MOMENT. WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND. THAT'S UH AGAIN
AS YOU HEARD WITH ALL OF THIS
WORK. IT'S A SMALLER SUBSET OF
THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IS A
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS, BUT THAT
IS SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF
OUR FUNDING BECAUSE WE HAVE
NOWHERE ELSE TO GO FOR THE REAL
FOCUS ON SMALL FAILING SYSTEMS.
WE NEED THOSE DEDICATED
RESOURCES FOR THEM, EVEN AS WE
ALSO LOOK AT OUR LARGER DRINKING
WATER PROGRAM, AND IT IS ABOUT
SUPPORTING THE SMALL THE LARGER
SYSTEMS, TOO, BUT WE HAVE TO FIX
THIS. AND NOW IS A GREAT TIME.
AS YOU SAID, CHAIR TO REALLY
CHECK IN, UNDERSTAND, DO MORE
AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. WELL, NOW, UH, PREPARE FOR,
UH, THE STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE, UH, CAS OR ESTRADA
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR
DIVISION FIVE COACHELLA VALLEY
WATER DISTRICT, KYLE JONES
POLICY AND LEGAL DIRECTOR FOR
COMMUNITY WATER CENTER KARINA
CERVANTES, MANAGING DIRECTOR,
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF MUTUAL
WATER COMPANIES, AND RAMONE,
DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE. UH,
WE'LL BEGIN PRESENTATIONS IN
THAT ORDER. WELCOME EVERYONE AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M CASTRO
ESTRADA, VICE PRESIDENT AT THE
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT.
OUR DISTRICT IS HONORED AND VERY
MUCH APPRECIATES YOUR
INVITATION. WE WERE HERE, UH,
BACK IN 2019 DURING THE JOINT
INFORMATIONAL HEARINGS THAT
INCLUDED, UH THIS COMMITTEE TO
TESTIFY ON WHY S¼ B 200. WAS
CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING
CALIFORNIA'S HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER POLICY. TODAY WE'RE HERE
TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY ON WHAT
THE FUNDING AND THE SAFER
PROGRAM HAS ALLOWED US TO
ACCOMPLISH.
I THINK MY, UH, MOUSE ISN'T
WORKING. OUR AGENCY IS, UH, IN
THE DESERT AREA NEAR THE
SOUTHERN BORDER, AND WE SPAN
FROM ABOUT PALM SPRINGS TO THE
SALTON SEA. YOU CAN SEE US THERE
ON THE MAP. UH, TOWARDS THE END,
OUR REGION CIRCLED IN THAT BLACK
CIRCLE. ALL THE WATER. IN OUR
REGION THAT'S USED FOR DRINKING
PURPOSES COMES FROM THE GROUND.
OUR AQUIFER IN GENERAL PRODUCES
HIGH QUALITY WATER. BUT WE HAVE
SOME ISSUES IN THE EASTERN
PORTIONS OF OUR VALLEY. THEY'RE
ON THE MAP, YOU'LL SEE AREAS
COLORED IN GREEN, YELLOW AND
RED, INDICATING HIGH LEVELS OF
ARSENIC. WE HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF
CHROMIUM SIX AND FLUORIDE IN
THESE AREAS AS WELL. THERE ARE
SEVERAL SMALL WATER SYSTEMS IN
THIS AREA THAT ARE NOT IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE ARSENIC
RULE. THIS IS A LARGE,
UNINCORPORATED AREA OF RIVERSIDE
COUNTY THAT IS RURAL AND MAINLY
AGRICULTURAL. IT'S CLASSIFIED AS
EITHER DISADVANTAGED OR SEVERELY
DISADVANTAGED. COMMUNITIES AND
SMALL WATER SYSTEMS HAVE
DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS. IN THE
FORM OF MOBILE HOME PARKS TO
SATISFY THE NEED FOR HOUSING.
THERE ARE OVER 100. SMALL WATER
SYSTEMS HERE, AND PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE IS SOMETIMES
MILES AWAY. SHORTLY AFTER THE
STATE RECOGNIZED THAT EVERY
HUMAN BEING HAS THE RIGHT TO
SAVE CLEAN, AFFORDABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE WATER. OUR DISTRICT
FORM THE COACHELLA VALLEY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE OUR
MISSION TO SECURE SAFE,
AFFORDABLE WATER FOR COACHELLA
VALLEY RESIDENTS BY COORDINATING
AND COLLABORATING WITH THE
COMMUNITY, OTHER AGENCIES,
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND
STAKEHOLDERS. ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS THAT WE DID AS A TASK
FORCE WAS COMPLETE A WATER
SUPPLY MASTER PLAN. IT WAS
ALMOST LIKE OUR OWN MINI NEEDS
ASSESSMENT. AND WE DID IT. BUT
WE DID THIS BY USING A GRANT
FUND, UH, GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED
FROM THE STATE WATER BOARD. WE
IDENTIFIED ANALYZED AND
PRIORITIZED OVER 100 SMALL WATER
SYSTEMS TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH
OUR DISTRICT. 43 CONSOLIDATION
PROJECTS WERE CREATED WITH A
ESTIMATED PROJECT COST OF ABOUT
$100 MILLION BACK IN 20 $18.
SINCE 2018. OUR DISTRICT AND THE
WATER BOARD HAVE MADE
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON
IMPLEMENTING THE TOP TWO RANKED
PROJECTS WITHIN OUR MASTER PLAN,
AND WE RECEIVED $34 MILLION SO
FAR. WE HAVE FIVE OTHER PROJECTS
IN THE WORKS. THE APPLICATIONS
ARE AT DIFFERENT STAGES AND WE
ARE AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE
WATER BOARD WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.
THE SEVEN PROJECTS REPRESENT
ABOUT 48 SYSTEMS OF THE 100
SYSTEMS THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF OUR
MASTER PLAN. WE IDENTIFIED THREE
OTHER CONSOLIDATION PROJECTS.
THAT WE HAVE SINCE COMPLETED. WE
WORKED ON THESE PROJECTS FROM
2016 TO 2021. AND DURING THAT
TIME, BOTH OUR DISTRICT AND THE
WATER BOARD GAIN EXPERIENCE ON
HOW TO BETTER IMPLEMENT
PROJECTS. AND THE FUNDING
PROCESS IN GENERAL. BOTH THE
DISTRICT AND THE WATER BOARD
HAVE LEARNED THAT THESE
CONSOLIDATION PROJECTS ARE
COMPLEX AND LENGTHY, FOR MANY
REASONS, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES, RIGHT OF WAY ISSUES
AND LAYERS OF OUTSIDE AGENCY
INVOLVEMENT AND APPROVALS. ONE
OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE THAT
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS CRITICAL
TO THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IS
MEETING REGULARLY. OUR AGENCIES
ARE MEETING ONCE A MONTH. AND WE
SOMETIMES MEET TWICE A MONTH
WHEN THERE'S CRITICAL ITEMS TO
DISCUSS AS INDICATED BY THE
NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT ARE
UNDERWAY. AND COMPLETED THE
CURRENT PROCESS IS WORKING. IN
SUMMARY. ABOUT 40 THREE
CONSOLIDATION PROJECTS HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED TO OUR MASTER PLAN.
THREE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN
COMPLETED, SEVEN PROJECTS ARE
UNDERWAY. AND THIS REPRESENTS
ABOUT 48 SYSTEMS OF THE 100
SYSTEMS THAT WE IDENTIFIED. OUR
DISTRICT AND THE WATER BOARD ARE
COORDINATING WELL, RESULTING IN
60. THREE MILLION IN FUNDING.
THIS FUNDING IS ACHIEVING THE
GOALS OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER POLICY. BENEFITING ABOUT
9300 PEOPLE SO FAR. WE ARE
COMMITTED TO CONTINUING. UH,
THIS WORK WITH EVERYONE
INVOLVED. AND THE BIG QUESTION,
I THINK IS WHY IS THIS FUNDING
AND A SAFER PROGRAM IMPORTANT?
WELL, THE TRUTH IS THAT WE
WOULDN'T BE DOING ANY OF WHAT
YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT WITHOUT THE
SUPPORT OF THE STATE AND THE
SAFER PROGRAM. WATER SYSTEMS
ACROSS CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE CHALLENGES DUE TO
SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE
AND EVOLVING REGULATIONS. WE
URGE YOU TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING
THE SAFER PROGRAM IN OUR STATE'S
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER POLICY. AND
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. BOARD MEMBER. I WANNA JUST
ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT AND I WON'T
TAKE TOO LONG. UM THE WATER
DISTRICT IN 2012, OR SO WENT TO
DISTRICT VOTING. AND IT ALLOWED
FOR REFLECTIVE REPRESENTATION.
ALLOWING FOR A DISCUSSION LIKE
THIS TO EVEN ELEVATE ITSELF TO
BE A PRIORITY. UM FROM THAT
POINT FORWARD, ALLOWING FOR A
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES TASK
FORCE TO BE ESTABLISHED. AND
INCORPORATING THE COMMUNITY TO
BE ABLE TO AGAIN. ELEVATE THESE
TYPES OF PRIORITIES. UM TO BE
PART OF A POLICY DISCUSSION AND
THEN A PURSUIT OF RESOURCES TO
IMPLEMENT THESE TYPES OF
PROJECTS AND SO THE POLITICS,
ALIGNING WITH THE POLICY IS
CRITICAL. UM AND I WANNA
RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE VICE
PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE HAS LED
THAT EFFORT. THE MAKEUP OF THE
BOARD. UM FOR THE MOST PART HAS
NOT CHANGED A WHOLE LOT. BUT HE
HAS BROUGHT LEADERSHIP OF THE
REST OF THE BORDER ALONG TO
AGREE, UM, TO ADDRESS THIS
ISSUE. AND, UM, THEY'VE ALL NOW.
UH, SUBSCRIBE. TO THE NEED TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND I GIVE
THEM CREDIT, BUT I GIVE THE VICE
PRESIDENT CREDIT FOR LEADING
THIS EFFORT. AND SO I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
IN THIS ROOM RECOGNIZE THAT AND
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THIS
PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN
OUR REGION. SO THANK YOU, MR
VICE PRESIDENT, NEXT PRESENTER.
OK, GOOD MORNING CHAIR MEMBERS,
KYLE JONES FROM THE POLICY AND
LEGAL DIRECTOR WITH COMMUNITY
WATER CENTER. UH, WE ARE AN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, NONPROFIT
BASED ORIGINALLY IN VELIA,
CALIFORNIA FOCUSED ON, UH,
ORGANIZING AN ADVOCACY AROUND
THE DRINKING WATER CRISIS. UH,
WE SINCE EXPANDED, WE HAVE OUR
OFFICE IN SACRAMENTO. OF COURSE.
UH, BUT WE ALSO WORK IN
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA ON THE
CENTRAL COAST IN MONTEREY
COUNTY. UH, THERE WERE IN BOTH
AREAS WERE FOCUSED MORE ON
PROVIDING DIRECT TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, UH, FUNDED THROUGH
THE SAFER PROGRAM TO SUPPORT
SOME OF THESE CONSOLIDATIONS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE STAFF IN
IN Dð èC. UM WHICH IS A IS A
GREAT ADDITION. SO WE CAN KIND
OF REALLY WORK ON ADDRESSING
THIS PROBLEM. UH, FROM ALL
LEVELS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CAN MOVE TO GET ACCESS TO CLEAN,
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING
WATER FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS. UM
SO I WANTED TO START BY JUST
TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE
BEFORE THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER
PASSED AND WHY OUR RESIDENTS
WERE SO FOCUSED ON WANTING TO
PASS THAT LAW. UM AND SO THIS IS
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE TULARE
COUNTY GENERAL PLAN. UM, THIS
HAS ALL BEEN REMOVED, AND I'M
NOT GONNA READ IT. BUT I'LL
PARAPHRASE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES IN OUR UN
UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES INTO
LARE COUNTY THAT DON'T HAVE
RESOURCES THAT LACK THE TAX BASE
, SO WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER
THEM NON VIABLE AND NOT SUGGEST
THAT WE INVEST IN THEM. AND MANY
OF THOSE COMMUNITIES UH, EASTER
ROSI. ALLENSWORTH TOOLY VILLE.
WE'RE WORKING IN NOW IN
CONSOLIDATIONS. UM BUT IT'S BEEN
TOUGH, AND I THINK TO THE POINT
OF THAT THAT MINDSET OF THOSE
ARE THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE. UM
THAT'S THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME
FROM. UM THE THERE'S RED
LIGHTING. UM MANY OF THESE
COMMUNITIES ARE FARM WORKING
COMMUNITIES THAT THAT STARTED AS
FARM WORKER HOUSING THAT
EVENTUALLY BECAME PERMANENT
HOUSING THAT BECAME COMMUNITIES
AND THAT WERE INTENTIONALLY LEFT
OUT OF GOVERNANCE, INTENTIONALLY
LEFT OUT OF DECISION MAKING
PROCESSES AND WEREN'T ABLE TO
ACCESS A LOT OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A
LOT OF UNMITIGATED DROUGHT
IMPACTS. UH AGAIN, MANY OF THESE
SAME COMMUNITIES OR FAMILIES WHO
ARE OUTSIDE OF WATER SYSTEMS
WERE RELYING ON DOMESTIC WELLS
THAT WERE SHALLOW. UM, THIS IS
SIMONA MAGANA. UM AND THIS IS IN
2015. HER WELL WENT DRY. AND HER
HUSBAND HAD JUST, UH JUST GOTTEN
OUT OF OPEN HEART SURGERY, SO HE
WAS STILL IN RECOVERY. UM AND
THEY HAD TO GO DRIVE THEIR TRUCK
AROUND TO GET WATER FROM
NEIGHBORS. UH, THEY DID THAT
EVERY DAY SO THAT THEY COULD
BATHE SHOWER, UH, USE THEIR
TOILET COOK THINGS LIKE THAT. UM
TO THIS DAY, UH, SHE WAS
ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET A LOAN. FOR
REPLACEMENT WELL, SO SHE HAS
WATER IN HER HOME. OBVIOUSLY
THAT'S ALWAYS A THREAT IF YOU'RE
ON GROUNDWATER IN IN AREAS WHERE
OVER PUMPING IS CONTINUING TO
OCCUR. UH, BUT, UH, UH, THAT IS
A LOAN. IT WASN'T A GRANT.
NOWADAYS IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
BEEN A GRANT SHE WAS RECEIVED.
SO SHE'S UH, SHE TALKS TO US AT
THE TIME ABOUT HOW DO WE CAN WE
HELP HER WITH THAT BECAUSE SHE'S
NOT ABLE TO SELL HER HOME WITH
THAT LONG ON THERE. UM, WE HAVE
A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE
CHALLENGES. UM, IN THESE SMALL
COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT FIRST PIPE
THERE IS A PART OF A MAIN AND
SEVILLE, CALIFORNIA IN TULARE
COUNTY. UM USUALLY THEY'RE
UNDERGROUND, NOT ABOVE GROUND.
THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND
PATHWAY FOR CONTAMINATION. UH,
THAT WAS HAD TO GET ADDRESSED.
UM AND THIS PICTURE IS ACTUALLY
FROM 2021 AND ALLENSWORTH. THEN
THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE. THEY,
UH, THEY WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES
WITH THEIR THEIR TANK AND IN A
TIME OF DROUGHT, THEY WERE
ACTUALLY LOSING WATER LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THIS IS COMMONPLACE FOR
MANY OF THESE COMMUNITIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. UM AND THEN WATER
QUALITY IS A BIG BIG CONCERN. I
THINK EVERYBODY'S MENTIONED IT
SO FAR. UM A LOT OF THIS STEMS
FROM NITRATE CONTAMINATION.
THAT'S OUR MAIN SOURCE IN THE
AREAS. WE WORK DUE TO, UM,
AGRICULTURE, PRIMARILY DAIRIES,
BUT OVER OVER APPLICATION OF
PESTICIDES THAT IT'S GONE ON
UNREGULATED FOR MANY, MANY, MANY
YEARS. UM, AND THEN FINALLY,
WATER AFFORDABILITY. I THINK WE
SPENT A LOT OF TIME FOCUSING ON
CLEAN AND SAFE WATER. UM, BUT
THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER LAW
DOES MENTION AFFORDABLE WATER,
AND I THINK IT'S WHERE WE'VE
MADE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF
PROGRESS. TOO MANY FAMILIES ARE
HAVING TO PAY FAR TOO MUCH MONEY
IN AND NOT JUST RURAL
COMMUNITIES, URBAN COMMUNITIES
AS WELL, UM, AND AREN'T ABLE TO
GET HELP THEY NEED ON THEIR
WATER BILLS, UM AND SO AS RATES
CONTINUE TO RISE FASTER THAN
INFLATION, WE'RE CONTINUING TO
HAVE MORE PEOPLE FALL BEHIND AND
FALL AT RISK OF SHUT OFFS. UM SO
JUST WANTED TO FLAG SOME POLICY
WINS. THIS IS A REPORT. UH, WE
DID. ABOUT 10 YEARS OF OTHER
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER. UM I JUST
WANTED TO FLAG OBVIOUSLY 8685 TO
PASS THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER
WAS WAS SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ASKED FOR, AND RALLIED
AROUND KIND OF OUR OUR FIRST
FORAY INTO THE POLICY SPACE. UM
SIGMA WAS A BIG ONE. IT'S NOT
THIS COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION,
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
MENTION THAT THE TACKLING OVER
PUMPING OF GROUNDWATER IS GOING
TO BE CRITICAL. UM,
CONSOLIDATION AUTHORITY, AS
MENTIONED WAS HUGE. I THINK WHEN
S¼ B 88 WAS PASSED IN 2015
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, 116682
WAS ABOUT A PARAGRAPH THIS BIG.
IT'S NOW ONE OF THE LARGEST
STATUTES IN THERE. THERE'S BEEN
A LOT OF TWEAKS SINCE THEN. UM,
AND THEN SAFER, UM IN S¼ B 220
19. AND THEN I WANTED TO MENTION
SOME LOCAL EFFORTS. èC VÆ SALTS
PROGRAM IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
ORDER 4.0 ON THE CENTRAL COAST.
THESE ARE LOCAL NITRATE
REGULATORY PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED
BY THE REGIONAL BOARDS, UM, TO
HELP GET, UH, RESOURCES FOR
COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS, UH
REPLACEMENT WATER, LONG TERM
SOLUTIONS AND RESTORE
GROUNDWATER BASINS THAT HAVE
BEEN IMPACTED BY NITRATE
POLLUTION. UM, SO WE'VE SEEN
THIS. UH THE NUMBERS ARE VARYING
. BUT UH, THESE ARE THE WATER
SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE FAILING IN
2023. I ALSO WANTED TO FLAG THIS
. THIS IS FROM COMMUNITY WATER
CENTERS, DRINKING WATER TOOL,
UM, EVERYWHERE IN THE DARKER
ORANGES, AND THEN THAT ALMOST
BROWN COLOR. THOSE ARE AREAS OF
GROUNDWATER WHERE IT'S OVER THE
MCL FOR NITRATE CONTAMINATION.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT
THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND THE
CENTRAL COAST. IT'S A BIG
PROBLEM. UM AND THEN THESE ARE A
LIST OF WELLS THAT HAVE GONE DRY
. UM OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. UM
THERE'S 1400 OUTAGES IN 2022
ALONE. AND THEN MANY OF THESE
WELLS ARE NOT GETTING REPLACED
FAST ENOUGH. THERE'S CURRENTLY A
BACKLOG OF OVER 1000 WELLS. I
BELIEVE WHERE PEOPLE ARE RELYING
ON HOLD WATER AND TANKED WATER
BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET A DRILLER
OUT THERE IN TIME. UM AND SO
WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS THAT THE
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING
WATER FUND? UH, BECAUSE OF THE
COST ASSESSMENT IN 20. THE DRAFT
2024 COST ASSESSMENT SHOWS THAT
THERE'S ABOUT $10.5 BILLION IN
NEED. TO SOLVE THE DRINKING
WATER CRISIS AND I DON'T WANT TO
PHRASE THAT IS THAT THIS IS
WE'RE WE'RE FALLING BEHIND.
WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS. WE'VE
MADE A TON OF PROGRESS. IT'S
THAT WE'RE GETTING BETTER DATA
THAT WE'RE REALLY UNDERSTANDING
THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM AND
THAT I HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE THAT
NUMBER NOT AS SOMETHING
TERRIFYING BUT AS A AS A
CHALLENGE TO COLLECTIVELY WORK
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS UM AND I DO
I DO WANNA FLY. THE STATE WATER
BOARD HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB
GETTING FUNDING OUT THE DOOR, UM
AND BEEN ABLE TO TURN AROUND ANY
OF THE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS. THE
LEGISLATURES PROVIDED THEYRE.
THEY'RE GETTING THAT MONEY OUT
AS FAST AS THEY CAN. IN MANY
INSTANCES, NOT ALL BUT MANY. UM
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
SOLUTIONS. I'LL SKIP BECAUSE I'M
TAKING TOO LONG. UM I WANTED TO
FLAG THIS PROJECT JOHNSON
MCGUINNESS AND LIVE OAK. UM WE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT ABOUT SYSTEM
TO SYSTEM CONSOLIDATIONS, AND
THERE'S CHALLENGES THERE
LAWSUITS, THINGS LIKE THAT,
BECAUSE OF, UH OTHER
COMMUNITIES. BUT I WANTED TO
TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC WELLS
BECAUSE THERE IS IT'S A THEY
TAKE A LONG TIME AS WELL. AND
THERE'S THIS WHOLE SEPARATE SET
OF CHALLENGES THERE. UM AND SO
THIS IS THE COMMUNITY. IT'S IN
THE CENTRAL COAST JUST SOUTH OF
WATSONVILLE. YOU CAN SEE KIND OF
A CHALLENGING TERRAIN THERE. UM
AND I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT
THESE PROJECTS TAKE A LOT OF
TRUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING
INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS TO JOIN A
SYSTEM. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A WATER BILL.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE NEW
GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES. UM AND
YOU NEED ALL COMMUNITY OR A GOOD
CHUNK OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO PARTICIPATE. SO THAT'S THAT'S
DOOR KNOCKING AND DEVELOPING
TRUST WITH EVERYBODY ONE ON ONE.
UM SO I JUST THIS, UH, THE
GENTLEMAN UP IN THE TOP, RIGHT?
THAT'S UH, SILO. PEREZ UM, HE'S
A COMMUNITY LEADER. UH HIM AND
HIS WIFE, ANA MARIA, THEY'RE
FARM WORKERS. THEY GROW FLOWERS.
UM AND BECAUSE OF HIM, WE WERE
ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THIS
PROJECT MOVING BECAUSE WE WERE
ABLE TO ESTABLISH A LEVEL OF
TRUST WITH WITH HIM, UM AND IF
YOU SEE THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE,
THEY'RE LEADING A PLATICA JUST
TO KIND OF BUILD RESIDENT
SUPPORT. UM, WE'VE ALSO TAKEN TO
Dð èC THAT'S WITH, UH REP.
VARGAS UH, WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T
HAVE A MEETING WITH HIM, BUT HE
PULLED US INTO THE OFFICE TO
JUST CHAT. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS
A FUN DAY FOR ALL OF US, UM BUT
I FLAGGED THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A
LOT OF ADVOCACY THAT RESIDENTS
HAVE TO TAKE AS WELL THAT THAT
OUR ORGANIZING THROUGH SAFER HAS
EMPOWERED PEOPLE TO DO. UH, THEY
NEED TO BE ABLE TO COLLECTIVELY
ORGANIZE AND FIGHT FOR THESE
PROJECTS TO SUCCEED. AND THIS
PROJECT IS FAR FROM COMPLETE.
WE'VE GOT THE FEASIBILITY
ANALYSIS DONE. BUT THE COST OF
THIS PROJECT IS LOOKING A LITTLE
HIGHER THAN WHAT THE WATER BOARD
IS WILLING TO FUND. AND SO THE
WATER BOARD IS ACTUALLY
SUGGESTING WE MAY HAVE TO
RETHINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO
DO THIS PROJECT. UM OUR HOPE IS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WALK AWAY
FROM THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE, AS
I MENTIONED TRUST IS BIG. IT
TAKES A LONG TIME TO BUILD AND
WE WILL LOSE THAT. IF THAT
HAPPENS, SO OUR OUR HOPE IS WE
CAN CONTINUE TO FIND SOLUTIONS
THERE, BUT THAT'S GONNA TAKE
CONTINUED COLLECTIVE EFFORTS.
UM, SO WHAT'S NEEDED, UH, LIKE I
MENTIONED DOMESTIC WELLS. THAT'S
THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE
THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT WE'RE
WE'RE I THINK WE'RE DOING A
BETTER JOB OF CAPTURING SMALL
WATER SYSTEMS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO
CAPTURE WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE TO
ADDRESS DOMESTIC WEALTH. UM
THOSE COSTS LIKE I MENTIONED
TEND TO BE HIGHER AND WE NEED TO
THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE PULL
EVERYONE TOGETHER. IT'S NOT JUST
THE STATE AND THE WATER BOARD
WHO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY THERE.
THERE'S COUNTIES WHO PERMITTING
AUTHORITIES AND THERE ARE, UH
THERE'S UH, PUMPERS AND, UH,
POLLUTERS THROUGH SIGMA AND SOME
OF THESE REGULATORY PROGRAMS
THAT SHOULD BE PAYING PART OF
THAT COST TO MAKE SURE THAT
THESE PEOPLE MOVE INTO SAFER
SYSTEMS. UM WE NEED TO CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE WATER BOARD ON
ON CONSOLIDATION, AUTHORITY AND
PROCESSES. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE
PROBABLY END UP RUNNING
CONSOLIDATION BILLS EVERY YEAR
BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH
WE'RE CONTINUING TO LEARN AND
NEED TO TWEAK THAT AUTHORITY. UM
MORE FUNDING TO CLOSE THE GAP.
UM AS I MENTIONED WE'VE SPENT A
LOT OF THE MONEY WE HAVE, UH, WE
NEED TO JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE
CONTINUING TO GET THIS MONEY
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM
THE STATE GOVERNMENT FROM LOCAL
PARTIES. AND I THINK I WOULD
PREFER TO SEE THAT WE CONTINUE
TO COORDINATE THAT THROUGH SAFER
SO THE WATER BOARD CAN KEEP
DRIVING THOSE PROCESSES. AND
THEN FINALLY LOW INCOME WATER
RATE AFFORDABILITY. WE DON'T
HAVE A PROGRAM FOR WATER
ASSISTANCE LIKE WE DO FOR OTHER
UTILITIES, AND REGARDLESS OF THE
SOURCE COSTS ARE GETTING TOO
HIGH, AND WE CAN'T KEEP MAKING
PEOPLE CHOOSE BETWEEN SAFE OR
AFFORDABLE WATER. WE HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO DO BOTH. UM SO OUR GOAL
IS CLEAN, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
WATER FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS, UM
AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT WE HAVE
TO DO. UM BUT WE DO BELIEVE
THERE'S A PATH AND WE HOPE THAT
WE CAN GET THERE WORKING
TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY AND JUST
ASK ALL Y'ALL TO JOIN US. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'LL
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE ISSUE
OF AFFORDABILITY. UM, AS THE
LAST SPEAKER WRAPS UP, BUT SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
PLEASE PROCEED. UH, GOOD MORNING
CHAIR GARCIA AND ESTEEMED
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS KARINA CERVANTES AND I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF MUTUAL WATER
COMPANIES, ALSO KNOWN AS èC
MUTUALS ARE ASSOCIATION WAS
FOUNDED BY A GROUP OF 14
COMMITTED MUTUAL WATER COMPANIES
THAT REALLY GOT TOGETHER TO BE
OF SERVICE TO SMALLER WATER
SYSTEMS. THE MISSION OF OUR OF
OUR ASSOCIATION IS TO PROVIDE
SOME ADVOCACY, BUT MOST OF OUR
TIME IS SPENT FACILITATING
ACCESS TO OPERATIONAL AND
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR MUTUAL
WATER COMPANIES ACROSS THE
STATE. OVER TIME, OUR
ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE
NEARLY 400 MEMBER MUTUALS FROM
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UM AND
OVER HALF OF THOSE DO FALL UNDER
THE 500 SERVICE CONNECTIONS AND
FEWER UM, I DEFINITELY EXTEND MY
GRATITUDE TO THE COMMITTEE FOR
CONVENING THIS HEARING AND
ALLOWING US TO DISCUSS THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SAFER
PROGRAM IN REALIZING THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. TODAY I WILL SHARE A
REMARKABLE SUCCESS STORY UNDER
THE SAFER PROGRAM FOR ONE OF OUR
MEMBERS, UM, BUT ALSO SHARE WITH
YOU INSIGHTS FROM OUR MEMBERS
EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE SAFER
PROGRAM AND A SERIES OF
RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPED FROM
THEIR DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND
CHALLENGES. IN FEBRUARY. JUST
LAST MONTH, WE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE A
MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT WITH ONE
OF OUR CORE MEMBERS. SOUTH MESA
MUTUAL WATER COMPANY, WHICH
PROVIDES WATER SERVICE TO THE
COMMUNITIES OF KY. MESA IN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY AND YUCAIPA IN
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES, SOUTH
MESA WAS ABLE TO SECURE A $10
MILLION GRANT FROM THE STATE
WATER BOARD'S SAFER PROGRAM.
SPECIFICALLY PROP 68 FUNDING AND
HELPS TO, UM AMPLIFY SOME OF THE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE UNDER SAFER.
THIS FUNDING WILL HELP TO
FACILITATE THE CRUCIAL
REPLACEMENT OF WATER MAINS
THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. IT'S ALSO
GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW WELL TO
MEET PRESENT AND FUTURE WATER
NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT
WILL ALSO ENABLE THE COMPLETION
OF A VOLUNTARY CONSOLIDATION
WITH HILLCREST MOBILE HOME PARK.
MANY OF THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE, UM
BEEN EXPOSED TO NITRATE. UH NARY
CONTAMINANTS IN THEIR OWN. WELL
UH SO THIS WILL HELP TO
ERADICATE. UM THAT NITRATE
CONTAMINATION AFFECTING THOSE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS PROJECT
WILL ALSO INCLUDE A NEW
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE BASIN THAT
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE
RESILIENCY OF REGIONAL WATER
SUPPLIES. AND OF COURSE, I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE POLITICAL
WILL WAS DEFINITELY THERE ON THE
GROUND. THERE ARE NUMEROUS
PARTNERS THAT HELP TO
CONCEPTUALIZE THIS PROJECT AND
THAT WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM THIS
UPGRADED INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH
MESA. THE PARTNERSHIPS DID THE
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, THE
SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY MUNICIPAL
WATER DISTRICT AND THE SAN
GORGONIO WATER PASS AGENCY, ALL
PLAIN AND INVALUABLE ROLE IN
BRINGING FORWARD MOMENTUM AROUND
THIS PROJECT. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE
TO COMMEND THE SAN GORGONIO
WATER PASS AGENCY FOR STEPPING
UP TO HELP SMALL WATER SYSTEMS
IN THE AREA BY PROVIDING GAP
FUNDING TO SOUTH MESA AND OTHER
NEIGHBORING SMALL WATER SYSTEMS.
MANY SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS DO
NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESERVES
TO HANDLE THE CLASH. THE CASH
FLOW REQUIREMENTS THAT USUALLY
COME WITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF A
GRANT. WITH THIS GAP FUNDING
THESE SYSTEMS CAN MAKE THE
NECESSARY AND MUCH NEEDED LOCAL
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
WITHOUT HEAVILY BURDENING THEIR
RESERVES OR IMPACTING THEIR
OPERATING DAILY BUDGET AS THEY
AWAIT GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS FROM
THE STATE. AND OF COURSE, YOU
KNOW AS MUCH AS I WANT TO
CELEBRATE WITH ALL OF YOU THE
CONTINUING SUCCESSES UNDER THE
SAFER PROGRAM. UM IT'S ALSO JUST
AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS
THE ONGOING CHALLENGES IN
ACHIEVING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER. IN 2022, THE STATE WATER
BOARD SENT OVER 3000 LETTERS TO
WATER SYSTEMS, ENCOURAGING
CONSOLIDATION AND WATER
PARTNERSHIPS AS COMPLEX AND
VARIED AS CONSOLIDATIONS ARE.
THIS BLANKET LETTER WAS
CONFUSING TO MANY WATER SYSTEMS
WHO RECEIVED IT, AND IT WAS
CONFUSING BECAUSE IT LACKED ANY
TYPE OF SPECIFICITY OR CRITERIA
TO DETERMINE WHO MIGHT BE VIABLE
. LOCAL REGIONAL PARTNERS ALSO
CRITERIA AROUND WHAT MAKES A VÀ
VIABLE CONSOLIDATION. THAT COULD
INFORM THE LOCAL DECISION MAKING
PROCESS. AND IN 2020, THREE. WE
ALSO LEARNED OF EMERGING
MATERIAL IMPACTS ON WATER
SYSTEMS THAT HAD RECEIVED THIS
COMMUNICATION, UM, INCLUDING
CHANGES TO ESTABLISHED GRANT
APPROVAL AND FUNDING PROCESSES,
WHICH WERE NOW TIED TO THE
COMPLETION OF A CONSOLIDATION
STUDY. UH, SO WE WERE VERY MUCH
INTERESTED IN DOING OUR OWN
CHECK IN WITH OUR MEMBERS. THIS
WAS PRIOR TO THIS HEARING BEING
SCHEDULED, BUT WE ALSO WANTED
YOU TO DO OUR OWN CHECK IN AND
SURVEY OUR OWN MEMBERS, UM, THAT
HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION
FROM THE STATE WATER BOARD AND
WHO, PERHAPS, UM, WERE FOCUSED
AS SYSTEMS THAT COULD UNDERGO OR
SHOULD EXAMINE AND ASSESS THE
CONSOLIDATION VIABILITY LOCALLY.
AND I'LL JUST PROVIDE A HIGH
LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF
THAT SURVEY. UM BUT YOU KNOW,
THE PERSPECTIVES WERE JUST AS
VARIED AND JUST AS COMPLEX. THE
MAJORITY REPORTED THAT
CONSOLIDATION WAS NOT FEASIBLE
FOR THEIR SYSTEM. AND THIS WAS
BASED ON YOU KNOW EARLIER
CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE
HAD WITH REGIONAL WATER AGENCIES
NEARBY WATER, UH, SYSTEMS BUT
THEN ALSO CONDUCTING THEIR OWN
CONSOLIDATION STUDIES TO TRY TO
ASSESS IF THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS FEASIBLE FOR THEM. UM
SO SOME MEMBERS, UH FOUND THAT
CONSOLIDATION WAS NOT FEASIBLE
DUE TO THE LACK OF A NEARBY
SYSTEM OR THE PRESENCE OF
GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIERS SUCH AS
MOUNTAINS, RIVERS FREEWAYS THAT
MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONNECT
WITH A POTENTIAL RECEIVING
SYSTEM FOR OTHERS. UM YOU KNOW
THEIR OWN CONSOLIDATED
CONSOLIDATION. STUDIES
DETERMINED THAT CONSOLIDATION
COST WOULD EXCEED THE IDENTIFIED
COST PER CONNECTION OR SYSTEM
LIMITS IN THE SAFER NEEDS
ASSESSMENT. AND OTHERS. UM,
CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT YOU
KNOW CONSOLIDATION WAS NEITHER
NECESSARY NOR BENEFICIAL GIVEN
THAT THEY ARE WELL RESOURCED.
WELL RUN, UM AND DON'T HAVE ANY
KNOWN WATER QUALITY ISSUES. UM A
SMALL GROUP OF OUR RESPONDENTS
TO OUR SURVEY ALSO INDICATED
THAT THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF
CONSOLIDATING WITH ANOTHER
SYSTEM. AND THEY'RE YOU KNOW,
THERE WAS, UM, JUST SOME
FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF
TIME THAT THAT PHYSICAL
CONSOLIDATION WAS TAKING. UM AND
THEN ANOTHER GROUP, ALSO OF OUR
SYSTEMS THAT RESPONDED TO OUR
SURVEY. WE'RE VERY MUCH
INTERESTED IN PURSUING A
CONSOLIDATION WITH ANOTHER
SYSTEM. THEY JUST, UM,
ADMITTEDLY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE
THE TECHNICAL, MANAGERIAL OR
FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO
ACCOMPLISH IT YET. UH, SO BASED
ON THOSE FINDINGS, WE DID
DEVELOP, UM, A SERIES OF
RECOMMENDATIONS. UM THIS IS JUST
A SAMPLE OF THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I WILL
SHARE WITH YOU. THERE IS A
FULLER LIST. UM BUT THESE WERE
WERE BASED AGAIN ON THE FEEDBACK
FROM OUR MEMBERS REGARDING THE
STATE WATER BOARDS. UM, CURRENT
STRATEGY REGARDING
CONSOLIDATIONS. AND ONE OF OUR
PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS WAS JUST
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
MAINTAINING, UM, AN ANNUAL
PROGRESS REPORT AND UPDATES ON
COMPLETED AND ONGOING
CONSOLIDATIONS. WE DO FEEL THIS
WOULD PROVIDE A CRITICAL
INSIGHTS AND ALSO INFORM FUTURE
CONSOLIDATION EFFORTS. UH,
SIMILARLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD
FROM CHAIR ESQUIVEL AND THE
PROGRESS, UM, OF RESPONDING TO
THE AUDIT, YOU KNOW, HAVING
TIMELINES, UH, METRICS, SO
PEOPLE HAVE A REALISTIC
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LONG THESE
CONSOLIDATIONS WILL TAKE.
SIMILARLY UM, WE ALSO ASK FOR
GREATER CLARITY AROUND. YOU KNOW
WHAT, UH, MAKES A SYSTEM AN
ELIGIBLE, UH, AN IDEAL CANDIDATE
FOR CONSOLIDATION, YOU KNOW,
SYSTEM SIZE, GEOGRAPHY DEGREE OF
RISK. UM OR A COMBINATION
THEREOF, OF COURSE. UM AND THEN,
OF COURSE, THERE WERE ALSO A
LONGER SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS
REGARDING THOSE SYSTEMS THAT
INDICATED THEY WANTED TO, UH,
PURSUE A VOLUNTARY CONSOLIDATION
RIGHT NOW. THERE REALLY ISN'T AN
EASY PATH FORWARD. THERE ISN'T
REALLY AN EASY WAY TO MAKE
THEMSELVES KNOWN. UM YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A LOT OF LEGWORK
INVOLVED IN THEM HAVING TO SORT
OF ASSESS WHO THE REGIONAL AND
NEARBY PARTNERS COULD
POTENTIALLY BE THAT THEY WOULD
CONSOLIDATE WITH, UM, SO ONE OF
THE FOUNDATIONS THAT WE MADE
AROUND THAT IS, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S AN ELECTRONIC ELECTRONIC
ANNUAL REPORT. UH THAT'S DUE BY
SYSTEMS. ONE OF OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS PER TO
PERHAPS POSE A QUESTION THERE.
SO THAT SYSTEM IS INTERESTED IN
CONSOLIDATION. UM COULD SELF
IDENTIFY UM, AND THEN RECEIVE
ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE
STATE WATER BOARD STAFF. UM WE
ALSO HAVE SYSTEMS THAT INDICATED
THEY HAD REACHED OUT TO WATER
BOARD STAFF TO ASK THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE REGARDING THAT. AND
THE RESPONSE UM, YOU KNOW, COULD
HAVE BEEN COULD HAVE BEEN FASTER
. WE DID HAVE ONE SYSTEM THAT
HAD TO WAIT UP TO A YEAR, UH, TO
GET TO GET A RESPONSE AND
INITIAL RESPONSE FROM STATE
WATER BOARD STAFF. UM SOME OF
THE OTHER FRUSTRATIONS THAT WERE
MENTIONED, AND I'LL JUST WRAP
UP. UM, IS THAT THERE WAS ALSO,
UH, CONCERNS ABOUT SYSTEM
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR
FUNDING UNDER THE SAFER PROGRAM.
UM THOSE CAN TAKE, UH, A WHILE,
UH, TO WORK THEMSELVES THROUGH
THE QUEUE. SO ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT EVEN
THOUGH THE INTENDED USE PLAN
GETS UPDATED ANNUALLY, THAT AN
APPLICATION BE CONSIDERED AND
EVALUATED UNDER, UM, THE YEAR
UNDER WHICH IT WAS SUBMITTED,
RATHER THAN HAVING TO CHASE UH,
AN EVER CHANGING GOALPOST. AND
OF COURSE, UM, LASTLY, I JUST
WANNA CONCLUDE ALSO IN
CONTINUING TO, YOU KNOW, SEEK
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THOSE
LARGE WATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE
MAKING AVAIL, MAKING THEMSELVES
AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT SMALL,
SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS IN THE
REGION. I KNOW COACHELLA VALLEY
WATER DISTRICT IS HERE AND
EMPHASIZING A LOT OF WORK THAT
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, BUT
ALSO THE MOJAVE WATER AGENCY,
THE WATER REPLENISHMENT DISTRICT
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN ORANGE
COUNTY WATER DISTRICT ARE ALSO
WORKING WITH SMALL WATER SYSTEMS
AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES TO
HELP WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
CONSOLIDATION, STUDIES AND
MUTUAL AID. UM AND LASTLY, I
KNOW MY COMMENTS ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON THE SAFER
PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DO ALSO
BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN ESSENTIAL
SET OF TOOLS TO HELP SOLVE OUR
STATE'S WATER CHALLENGES. UM
HOWEVER, I IN FULL AGREEMENT
WITH MY COLLEAGUE HERE AT THE
COMMUNITY WATER CENTER, THAT
AFFORDABILITY WILL CONTINUE TO
BE A CHALLENGE AT THE WATER
SYSTEM LEVEL AND ALSO FOR MANY
HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. UM PUBLIC WATER
SYSTEMS ARE BEING CALLED UPON TO
COMPLY WITH MANY A NUMBER
INCREASING SERIES OF NEW
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS. CHROMIUM SIX WAS
ONE THAT WAS MENTIONED, UM,
WATER CONSERVATION, ALSO A
DROUGHT PLANNING, DROUGHT,
RESILIENCY, PF S¼, LEAD AND
COPPER AND MANY MORE AND WE KNOW
THAT COLLECTIVELY, THESE ARE
DAUNTING FOR SYSTEMS OF ANY SIZE
, BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT THEY CAN SEEM
INSURMOUNTABLE FOR SMALLER
SYSTEMS. UM AND WE'LL CONTINUE
TO HAVE THOSE AFFORDABILITY
CHALLENGES WITHOUT THE NECESSARY
RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE BY THE
BY THE STATE TO HELP OFFSET MANY
OF THOSE COSTS. UM THE ONLY
RECOURSE FOR MANY SYSTEMS ARE TO
PASS THAT ON TO THEIR
RATEPAYERS, THEIR SHAREHOLDERS,
UM AND IT'S A PROCESS. IT'S
UNSUSTAINABLE. SO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE THE INSIGHTS AND
EXPERIENCE OF OUR SELECT, UM AND
IMPORTANT GROUP OF SMALL WATER
SYSTEMS AND TO SHARE OUR ALL OF
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WITH ALL OF
YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION AND
BEING PARTNERS IN THIS FIGHT TO
REALIZE. SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR
ALL IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. WE'LL WANT TO OUR
NEXT PRESENTER. ALRIGHTY. UH,
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR GARCIA AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UH I'M RAMI
KELAN AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS
DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS
FOR CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE.
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE IS THE
SECOND LARGEST WATER UTILITY IN
CALIFORNIA. WE SERVE OVER 100
COMMUNITIES FROM CHICO THROUGH
THE CENTRAL VALLEY DOWN THROUGH
THE SAN FRANCISCO PENINSULA TO
THE LOS ANGELES AREA. I ALSO
SERVE AS A WATER BOARD SAFER
ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER ALONG WITH
THE MY COLLEAGUE HERE, UH,
MISTER ESTRADA AND I'VE BEEN IN
THAT ROLE SINCE 2022 AND I
PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF
THE WATER DIVISION AT THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION FOR 12 YEARS. I SHARE
MY BACKGROUND WITH THE COMMITTEE
TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE SPENT MY
ENTIRE CAREER WORKING WITH WATER
, UTILITIES OF ALL SIZES. AND I
STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WATER
SERVICE IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT
UTILITY. SO TODAY I'LL BE
SHARING WITH THE COMMITTEE, NOT
JUST MY VIEWS, BUT THOSE OF THE
REGULATED UTILITIES REPRESENTED
BY THE CALIFORNIA WATER
ASSOCIATION. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT
THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
THAT WE SEE. COLLECTIVELY THE
CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATION IS
A STATEWIDE BUSINESS TRADE GROUP
REPRESENTING WATER UTILITIES,
WHICH ARE REGULATED BY THE
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION. THESE ARE, UH,
UTILITIES REP. SERVE DRINKING
WATER TO CUSTOMERS TO
APPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE STATE.
SO I WANNA TURN MY ATTENTION TO
THE SAFER PROGRAM. WE'RE NOW
FIVE YEARS INTO THE PROGRAM OR
ABOUT HALFWAY AS WE'VE HEARD
TODAY, I'LL BE SHARING WITH THE
COMMITTEE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE
SAFER PROGRAM. WHAT'S WORKED
WHAT COULD WORK BETTER, AND I'LL
OFFER SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE
CAN IMPROVE THE PROGRAM. AND AT
THE END IF WE IF I HAVE A FEW
MINUTES, I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WATER AFFORDABILITY,
SPECIFICALLY LOW INCOME CUSTOMER
ASSISTANCE AND TIES TO THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER, SO LET'S TALK
ABOUT WHAT'S WORKED.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAFER
PROGRAM UNDER THE STATE WATER
BOARD HAS WORKED WELL,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES AND IN
WHICH IT WAS LAUNCHED. WHILE
THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN EXPRESSED
IN THE AUDIT REPORT ABOUT
URGENCY, IT'S NEVER EASY TO
LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAM,
PARTICULARLY ONE THAT IS AS
BROAD AS SAFER AND WITH THE
PANDEMIC THAT ENSUED SHORTLY
AFTER JUST A YEAR LATER, THE
CHALLENGES WERE ESPECIALLY GREAT
. I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS AN
ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER I'VE BEEN
ADVOCATING THROUGH ROLE TO GET
FUNDING OUT FASTER THROUGH THE
PROGRAM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE GETTING VALUE OUT OF
DOLLAR SPENT, AND IN THE PAST
TWO YEARS, I HAVE PERSONALLY
SEEN IMPROVEMENTS AS A SAFER
MEMBER, AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY,
OUR CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATION
MEMBERS HAVE SEEN THESE
IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL. FIRSTLY I
WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE CALIFORNIA
WATER ASSOCIATION MEMBER
COMPANIES HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF
WORKING WITH THE WATER BOARD
STAFF. OVERSIGHT OF WATER
QUALITY RESIDES WITH THE WATER
BOARD'S DIVISION OF DRINKING
WATER, AND WHEN THIS DEPARTMENT
WAS MOVED OVER FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH BACK
IN 2014, THE WATER BOARD KEPT IN
PLACE THE ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE OF THE STAFF, THE
MANAGEMENT PROVIDING FOR A NEAR
SEAMLESS TRANSITION. THIS WAS
VERY HELPFUL AS OUR EXISTING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE WATER
BOARD REMAINED INTACT. AND I
THINK THIS EXISTING
COLLABORATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT
HELPED US FORGE NEW
RELATIONSHIPS WITH SAFER AND THE
DIVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
STAFF AT THE WATER BOARD. OUR
MEMBERSHIP HAS EXPERIENCED
FIRSTHAND INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
MANAGERS FROM THESE DEPARTMENTS
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP
OUR MEMBERS GET FUNDING
APPLICATIONS OUT, AS WELL AS
FUNDING APPLICATIONS FROM WATER
SYSTEMS WISHING TO CONSOLIDATE
OUT THE DOOR AND THE WATER BOARD
IS RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE PROPOSALS
TO AMENDING ITS PROCEDURES TO
OVERCOME ANY BOTTLENECKS THAT
MAY COME UP. THE WATERBOARD
LAUNCHED AN EXPEDITED GRANT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. I BELIEVE
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND
IT HAD THE FORESIGHT TO INCLUDE
OUR MEMBERSHIP. OUR CUSTOMERS
ARE ALSO TAXPAYERS AND EQUALLY
WORTHY OF GRANT DOLLARS, AND WE
APPRECIATE THE WATER BOARD,
INCLUDING US. AT ONE TIME GRANTS
WERE RESTRICTED TO PUBLIC
AGENCIES. ONLY I'VE BEEN IN THIS
BUSINESS A LONG TIME. THAT'S NÓ
LONGER. THE CASE, HOWEVER, OUR
MEMBERSHIP ALWAYS REMAINS EVER
VIGILANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I
ALSO WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS
ABOUT INCOME TAXES IF POSSIBLE.
èC W, A WA A MEMBER COMPANIES.
THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIMES WHEN
WE THE GRANTS WE RECEIVED WERE
SUBJECT TO FEDERAL INCOME TAXES,
WHICH NOT ONLY REDUCED NET
FUNDING BUT REDUCED THE
ATTRACTIVENESS OF THOSE GRANTS.
FORTUNATELY THE TAX LAW WAS
CHANGED IN THE END OF 2021 AND
GRANTS ARE NÓ LONGER SUBJECT TO
FEDERAL TAX. ONE MAJOR
IMPROVEMENT IN THE SAFER PROGRAM
WAS THE EXPANSION OF TECHNICAL
SERVICE PROVIDERS TO INCLUDE
ENGINEERING FIRMS WITH EXPERTISE
IN WATER SYSTEMS. PREVIOUSLY
THESE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROVIDERS WERE MOSTLY
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
WITH MORE EXPERTISE IN COMMUNITY
OUTREACH THAN WATER SYSTEM
ENGINEERING. WE HAVE EXAMPLES
WHERE THE CHANGE TO PROFESSIONAL
ENGINEERING FIRMS HAS MADE
REMARKABLE REDUCTIONS IN THE
TIME REQUIRED FOR SUCH
ASSISTANCE, A MANY FOLD
IMPROVEMENT IN SOME IN SOME
CASES. AS A SAFER MEMBER. I'VE
INSISTED THAT WATERBOARD STAFF
INSTITUTE PERFORMANCE METRICS
FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROVIDERS. ALRIGHT WITH THAT.
I'M GONNA TURN TO WHAT COULD
WORK BETTER? TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE IN GRANT TIMELINES
CONTINUE TO REMAIN A CHALLENGE
AND CAN RESULT IN A MULTIYEAR
PROCESS BEFORE WORK CAN EVEN
BEGIN ON A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
MANY SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS ARE
NOT TECHNICALLY SOPHISTICATED
AND PURSUING ASSISTANCE FROM A
STATE AGENCY IS OFTEN A DAUNTING
TASK AND WHEN THERE IS NÓ
TIMELINE OR EXPIRATION DATE FOR
THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROVIDER TO ACHIEVE TASKS AND
UTILIZE FUNDING, PROGRESS SLOWS
DOWN. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
I TAKE SO LONG TO SOLVE WATER
SYSTEM ISSUES. A SENSE OF
URGENCY CAN BE CREATED BY
IMPOSING TIMELINES FOR
PERFORMANCE AND EXPIRATION DATES
FOR FUNDING. THE START UP
PROCESS FOR GETTING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND GRANT FUNDING.
IT'S JUST HARD GETTING AN
APPLICATION FILLED OUT FILED IS
A CHALLENGE EVEN FOR
SOPHISTICATED WATER SYSTEMS. AND
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT NOT EVERY
WATER SYSTEM IS A WILLING
RECIPIENT OF HEALTH. THAT'S ONE
REASON THE STATE WATER BOARD I
BELIEVE, HAS AVOIDED USING
CONSOLIDATION AUTHORITY THAT
IT'S BEEN HAD SINCE LATE 2015.
IF ASSISTANCE CAN BE FOCUSED ON
THOSE WATER SYSTEMS WHO ARE
WILLING RECIPIENTS OF AID THE
PROCESS I BELIEVE, CAN MOVE
ALONG MUCH SMOOTHER. MAYBE A
BETTER APPROACH IS THAT WILLING,
A PARTNER SHOULD RISE TO THE TOP
OF THE LIST. WITH THE SAFER
PROGRAM. THERE EXISTS A
PRIORITIZATION SCHEDULE BASED
UPON RISK CRITERIA, BUT IN A
WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FORWARD,
IT'S NOT ON THE LIST. èC W A.
THE WATER ASSOCIATION HAS A LIST
OF 13 SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE READY
TO SELL. THEY MIGHT OR MAY NOT
BE MEET THE SAFER CRITERIA AS
THE MOST RISKY BUT THEY ARE
READY TO BE SOLD AND
CONSOLIDATED. MANY OF THESE
SYSTEMS THAT ARE ALREADY HAVE
AGING OWNERS AND WITHOUT A
SUCCESSION PLAN, THEY COULD PASS
AWAY, YOU KNOW, AT ANY TIME
IMMEDIATELY, MOVING THE SYSTEM
AND ITS CUSTOMERS INTO A VERY
RISKY SITUATION AND A
POTENTIALLY, UH INTO THE FAILING
RISK CATEGORY. THE INCENTIVES
FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROVIDERS DO NOT NECESSARILY
MEET THE PRIORITIES OF THE SAFER
PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, NONPROFIT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
TYPICALLY EXCEL IN OUTREACH AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BUT NOT
NECESSARILY IN SOLVING TECHNICAL
ENGINEERING PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED
BY WATER SYSTEMS IF TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE FUNDING EXPIRES
BEFORE A SOLUTION IS REACHED THE
PROCESS, UH CAN AND DOES START
AGAIN. WITH NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED
UP TO HALF OF SAFER FUNDING IN
PAST YEARS HAS GONE TO TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS AND THE
EXPECTATION SHOULD BE THAT
SOLUTIONS WILL BE FOUND OR
FUNDING WILL NOT CONTINUE. OUR
MEMBERSHIP IS CALIFORNIA WATER
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS WERE
REGULATED BY THE CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION ARE
ECONOMIC REGULATOR WHILE THERE'S
GOOD COORDINATIONS BETWEEN THE
WATER BOARD AND THE èC P èC,
THESE AGENCIES HAVE DIFFERENT
FOCUSES. WATER SYSTEM
CONSOLIDATION IS ONE AREA THAT
THEY HAVE IN COMMON. THE CPUC
MUST APPROVE WATER SYSTEM
CONSOLIDATIONS AND THEY TAKE A
CRITICAL LOOK ON THE IMPACT OF
CONSOLIDATIONS ON CUSTOMERS OF
THE ACQUIRED AND OF THE
ACQUIRING ENTITY. THE CPUC
RECENTLY BECAME SO CONCERNED ON
WHETHER ITS EXISTING RULES AND
PROCEDURES FOR CONSOLIDATIONS
WERE WORKING THAT IT OPENED A
RULE MAKING TWO YEARS AGO TO
REVISIT ITS REGULATIONS. THIS
RULEMAKING IS STILL IN PROGRESS,
BUT IF THE RULE MAKING RESULTS
IN MORE RESTRICTIVE
CONSOLIDATION RULES. THIS WILL
ADVERSELY IMPACT WATER SYSTEM
CONSOLIDATIONS. SO THAT LET ME
TURN LASTLY TO SOLUTIONS. SO I'D
LIKE TO OFFER THE COMMITTEE SOME
SOLUTIONS BASED ON THE ISSUES
THAT I'VE JUST OUTLINED FOR YOU
TODAY. THE STATE WATER BOARD OR
LEGISLATURE MAY WANT TO PUT IN
SOME CRITERIA TO PRIORITIZE
SYSTEMS FOR CONSOLIDATION,
INCLUDING THOSE SYSTEMS THAT
WANNA BE CONSOLIDATED. YOU'VE
HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THAT
TIMELINES NEED TO BE MORE
ROBUST. WATER BOARD, I BELIEVE
SHOULD ESTABLISH TIMELINES WITH
BENCHMARKS FOR EVERY
CONSOLIDATION PROJECT INVOLVING
STATE FUNDED TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. THE WATER BOARD
SHOULD TRACK AND PUBLICLY SHARE
METRICS FOR EACH STAGE OF THE
GRANT PROCESS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE
BOTTLENECKS ARE OCCURRING. AND
LASTLY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE STATE BOARD HAS WITH THE èC
P èC. UH, IN THAT, UH,
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
THERE'S NÓ MENTION REALLY OF,
UH, CONSOLIDATION OR GRANT
FUNDING CO ORDINATION. SO OUR
RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
SHOULD BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE CO
ORDINATION BETWEEN èC, P èC
AND WATERBOARD ON CONSOLIDATIONS
AS WELL AS ON GRANT FUNDING. AND
I MIGHT JUST HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.
AND IF I DO WITH THE COMMITTEE'S
PERMISSION, I JUST LIKE TO SAY
SOMETHING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
SO ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER LAW IS THAT
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO
WATER THAT'S AFFORDABLE AND
DESPI. DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS
, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN
UNABLE TO PASS A STATEWIDE LOW
INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. OTHER
STATES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS
LAWS TO SUPPORT CUSTOMER
ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING ILLINOIS,
PENNSYLVANIA. FORTUNATELY FOR
CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATION
MEMBERS THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION HAS ALLOWED
REGULATED UTILITIES TO OFFER
LOW-INCOME CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS. WE'VE HAD THOSE
PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS
NOW, AND THEY PROVIDE A
SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT ON THE
MONTHLY BILL. MANY OF THE
REGULATED UTILITIES ALSO OFFER
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
WHICH PROVIDE HELP AS NEEDED,
BUT IT'S NOT ONGOING. I THINK TO
SERVE CUSTOMERS BEST UNDER THE
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER
CALIFORNIANS DESERVE PERMANENT,
ONGOING MONTHLY LOW INCOME RATE
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND I WANNA
ENCOURAGE THE LEGISLATURE TO
CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO
DEVELOP A PROGRAM THAT WORKS FOR
ALL WATER UTILITY CUSTOMERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU
SO MUCH CHAIR STEPPED OUT FOR
JUST A MOMENT. UH, WE DO HAVE
SOME QUESTIONS FIRST. I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL. UM IT'S GREAT TO
HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU, UH, YOU
TRULY ARE THE LEADERS AND FUTURE
LEADERS AND CURRENT LEADERS, UM,
THAT CALIFORNIA NEEDS, UM, FOR
MR ESTRADA. UH, ARE WE ON THE
RIGHT PATH? HOW CAN WE HELP TO
IMPROVE AND WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE
THERE? THAT'S A WHOLE LOT, BUT
YEAH. I. I THINK I THINK WE'RE
ON THE RIGHT PATH. I THINK. AT
LEAST IN IN OUR REGION. YOU. YOU
WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT, UM, WE
OUR METRICS ARE ARE WORKING. UM
I MENTIONED THAT JUST IN THE
PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
OR OR PROBABLY HITTING ABOUT 50%
OF THE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE
IDENTIFIED. UH, YOU KNOW THERE.
THERE ARE ALSO, UH RESOURCE
CHALLENGES. NOT JUST, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE WITH THE WITH THE WATER
BOARD, BUT ALSO WITH ALL THE
OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE INVOLVED
IN IMPLEMENTING THESE PROJECTS.
WONDERFUL SO YOU KNOW, AND TO
ADD TO THAT II. I WOULD SAY THAT
, UM YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES, I
THINK MADE SOME GOOD POINTS
ABOUT HOW TO SPEAK THAT I IT'S
BEEN MY OPINION THAT THAT THE
MORE YOU CAN INCENTIVIZE LOCAL
WATER AGENCIES THAT UNDERSTAND
THEIR SYSTEMS. THAT UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT TAKES FOR THESE CONS.
CONSOLIDATIONS TO MOVE QUICKER
IF YOU FIND A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE
THEIR PARTICIPATION. I THINK
PROJECTS WILL MOVE FASTER. AND I
KNOW THAT THE WATER BOARD HAS
HAS KIND OF COME UP WITH SOME
IDEAS THAT INCLUDE UM UH, YOU
KNOW, INCENTIVIZING, SOME OF
OTHER OTHER OTHER PROJECTS
WITHIN THE SYSTEM. LIKE
INCREASING CAPACITY DRILLING NEW
WELLS, UPDATING RESERVOIRS. UH,
AND AS A AS A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE
THEM TO TAKE ON A BIGGER AREA.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WORKING.
AND UH YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY
ISSUES TO SHARE. THANK YOU. VERY
GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, MR
JONES. AND I'M GLAD YOU TALKED
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. THAT AND,
UH SUCH AN IMPORTANT SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PART OF ALL OF THIS,
MR CALLON ALSO, THANK YOU FOR
MENTIONING THAT. UH, HOW CAN WE
HELP TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TRUST IS SOMETHING HE
MENTIONED AND I HAD NOT THOUGHT
ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY. BUT
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. YOU'RE
NOW ASKING THEM TO ACCEPT THAT
SOMEBODY'S COMING IN THE
GOVERNMENT'S COMING IN TO CHANGE
HOW THEY GET THEIR BILL THAT
THEY GET THEIR BILL. UM AND SO
HOW DO YOU HELP IMPROVE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WHAT
SOLUTIONS OR IDEAS CAN YOU SHARE
TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO
PROVIDE CLEAN WATER? UM WHAT ARE
YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON THAT THAT
WAS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION,
BUT VERY SPECIFICALLY IMPROVING
OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WELL I
THINK IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE
WE'RE STICKING TO TRIED AND TRUE
MODELS. UM THE WAY THAT WE WORK
IS THAT WE WORK TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS, UH
, AND TO BRING THEM INTO OUR
MOVEMENT AND PROVIDE THEM WITH
RESOURCES CONNECTED BY THE STATE
BOARD, AND THAT IS MADE POSSIBLE
BY SAFER. WE ALSO HAVE ENGINEERS
ON STAFF, AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT
LETS US KIND OF HELP. WALK
RESIDENTS THROUGH THIS WHOLE
PROCESS AND BECOME A TRUSTED
RESIDENT, A TRUSTED PARTS OF
THEIR COMMUNITY IN SOME
INSTANCES, SO, I. I THINK
CONTINUING TO MAKE SURE THAT
SAFER FUNDING AMONG ALL OUR, UH
UH, JUST THERE'S MANY, MANY,
MANY THINGS. IT'S THAT ARE BEING
ASKED OF IT, BUT THAT FUNDING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
THROUGH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN LOOK LIKE
COMMUNITIES AND SPEAK THE
LANGUAGES AND BUILD THAT TRUST
IS GONNA BE CRITICAL. I THINK
WE'VE SEEN IN THIS BUDGET YEAR.
THERE'S BEEN SUGGESTIONS THAT
SAFER CAN BE USED TO BACKFILL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. NÓ. WE CANNOT LOSE ACCESS
TO THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP BUILDING
THIS PIPELINE OF PROJECTS GOING
SO THAT READY FOR WIND
INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS ARE
AVAILABLE. UM SO REALLY? IT'S
JUST ABOUT HOW CAN WE EXPAND
THAT? I THINK SOME OF THE
PROBLEM IS JUST CAPACITY.
THERE'S YOU KNOW, WE WORK IN IN
A FEW AREAS. UM WE WORK WITH
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THERE ARE IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. UM BUT
THERE AREN'T ALWAYS CBOS
EVERYWHERE. I THINK WE SAW A LOT
OF WELL OUTAGES THAT OCCURRED IN
THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE,
AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF GROUPS
UP THERE. SO UM, CONTINUING TO
WORK TO FIND WILLING PARTNERS
WHO CAN BUILD THAT TRUST IS
GOING TO BE CRITICAL BECAUSE,
LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF BARRIERS
IN PLACE, UM REDLINING AND
SYSTEMIC RACISM ARE COME UP IN
THESE PROJECTS. AND YOU CAN'T
JUST ALWAYS HOPE THAT THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, WILLING
COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
GO FOR AND BEING ABLE TO FOCUS
WATERBOARD RESOURCES ON THESE
DIFFICULT PROJECTS IS GONNA BE
CRITICAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. AND MR VANT. UM IT IT'S
GOOD TO HAVE THAT DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE ALSO, AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
REGARDING THAT. UH, THE QUESTION
THAT IS, HOW CAN WE HELP? UM ARE
THERE SOLUTIONS? UM, IN ADDITION
TO WHAT YOU'VE SHARED, ARE THERE
SOLUTIONS YOU THINK THAT WE AS A
LEGISLATURE SHOULD TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION. UH, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I DIDN'T MENTION WAS
THAT FOR OUR MUTUAL WATER
COMPANIES, UM THEY DO HAVE A
FIVE Ó ONE CW, WHICH IS A TAX
EXEMPTION STATUS. UM, THAT IS
RECOGNIZED, UM, AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, BUT UH, THE STATE DOES
NOT CONFORM TO THAT. SO I KNOW
THAT FOR SOME OF OUR MUTUAL
WATER COMPANY MEMBERS THAT WISH
TO APPLY FOR STATE FUNDING. THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT, UM THAT
AUTOMATICALLY MAKES THEM
HESITATE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
FOR PROFITS. AND IN THIS
INSTANCE, UM ANY STATE GRANTS
RECEIVED THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY
HAVE TO PAY A TAX ON THAT. UM SO
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING, UM IN OTHER
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IS TO TRY
TO GET YOU KNOW STATE LAW TO
CONFORM WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH THEIR TAX
EXEMPTION STATUS. SO THAT'S
SOMETHING. UM SO I'M POINTING
THIS OUT AS WAYS TO BE ABLE TO
INCREASE AND MAXIMIZE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TYPES OF
WATER SYSTEMS, UM, IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA TO BE ABLE TO
ADDRESS DRINKING WATER
CHALLENGES. UM I THINK ONE OF
THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'LL JUST
HIGHLIGHT AGAIN WAS HOW
IMPORTANT IT WAS TO HAVE A
LARGER WATER AGENCY BEING ABLE
TO FLOAT SOME OF THE MONEY. UH
FOR THE SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS.
UM YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY DON'T
HAVE THOSE LEVEL OF RESERVES
THAT CAN PAY FOR SOME OF THE
UPFRONT COST. OF EVEN, YOU KNOW,
STUDYING WHETHER CONSOLIDATION
IS SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE AND
WHEN IT'S DETERMINED TO BE, YOU
KNOW, PAYING FOR THOSE INITIAL
UPFRONT CONSTRUCTION COSTS. UM
SO REALLY HAVING THOSE KINDS OF,
UM WILLING COLLABORATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS, UM, IS REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND, UH AND THERE ARE
WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE. UM THOSE
KINDS OF COLLABORATIONS. I KNOW
THAT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LARGER
SYSTEMS THAT ALSO HESITATE TO
TAKE AND SMALLER SYSTEMS BECAUSE
, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE
RECORDS OF MAINTENANCE AREN'T UP
TO WHERE THEY WOULD EXPECT. YOU
KNOW, WATER SYSTEMS TO BE, UM
AND SO AGAIN, MAKING THOSE KINDS
OF EARLIER INVESTMENTS AND WATER
SYSTEMS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY
BE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE SIZE
OF THE SYSTEM OR AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, LEADERSHIP, UM THAT IS
AGING OUT OF YOU KNOW THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO
OPERATE THAT SYSTEM, I THINK,
OFFERING THOSE TYPES OF EARLY
INVESTMENTS WHEN A LARGER SYSTEM
HAS INDICATED THEY WOULD BE
WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT
RESPONSIBILITY AND POTENTIAL
LIABILITY IF THE NEEDED
IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE IN THE
SMALLER SYSTEMS. WONDERFUL IT IS
CLEAR THAT WE HAVE IN THIS ROOM
LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND
LEADERS AND REPRESENTATIVES THAT
WANT TO WORK ON THE
CONSOLIDATION AND FINDING THE
PROPER PATH TO GET THERE. UM,
MISTER KON. UM I APPRECIATED. UM
YOU GAVE LOTS OF RECOMMENDATIONS
. ONE OF THOSE WAS TO PRIORITIZE
, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. UH THE FUNDING
ESPECIALLY NOW, UM, IS LIMITED.
AND IF WE KNOW WHICH ONES CAN BE
MOST SUCCESSFUL THAT THEY NEED
JUST THAT MONEY AS YOU'VE
MENTIONED FOR THE INCENTIVES AND
OR WHATEVER IT IS. IF WE HAVE
LIMITED FUNDING, WE PRIORITIZE
THOSE THAT CAN BE MOST.
SUCCESSFUL OF OUR SYSTEMS. I
APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS. TELL
US WHERE HAS THE STATE MISSED
THE MARK? AND HOW CAN WE BE BE
BETTER? UM AND AGAIN ABOUT THE
LEGISLATURE'S, UH, TALK ABOUT
HOW THE LEGISLATURE CAN CAN HELP
TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS, SOMETHING
THAT WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT. SO.
YOU KNOW, LET ME LET ME ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION. BUT LET ME GIVE
YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND
AND, YOU KNOW, I TOLD THE
COMMITTEE UH, MY WORK IN WATER
UTILITIES FOR ESSENTIALLY MY
ENTIRE CAREER. SMALL WATER IS
NOT SUSTAINABLE. SMALL WATER
SYSTEMS ARE ALWAYS FACING
CAPITAL NEEDS AND MORE
INCREASINGLY STRINGENT WATER
QUALITY REQUIREMENTS. SO WHEN I
WAS AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION, MY JOB ONE WAS
TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE SMALL
WATER SYSTEMS. SO DURING MY 12
YEAR TENURE THERE, I'M MOST
PROUD THAT 37 OF MY 145 SYSTEMS
WERE CONSOLIDATED ON MY WATCH.
AND NOW THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION ONLY REGULATES
SOMETHING LIKE 90 WATER SYSTEMS
THROUGH THE STATE. SOME OF THOSE
ARE LARGE, AND THE SMALLER ONES
HAVE MOSTLY BEEN CONSOLIDATED.
SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH,
FOR US TO DO IN TERMS OF
CONSOLIDATIONS I MENTIONED IN MY
STOP YOU FOR A MOMENT. WOULD
THAT SUCCESS? HOW DO WE
DUPLICATE THAT? THAT WAS GOING
TO BE YOUR NEXT COMMENT. I'M
SORRY I STOPPED YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. SO THE WAY TO DUPLICATE
THAT SUCCESS IS WORKING WITH
SMALL WATER SYSTEM IS VERY HARD
AND THE IN AND FOR A WHOLE HOST
OF REASONS, BUT WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSOLIDATE THE
SYSTEMS THAT ARE THAT. LET'S SAY
THE, UH, THE EASY TO PICK FRUIT.
THAT'S THE ONES WE SHOULD BE
TARGETING BECAUSE WE CAN REDUCE
THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER GREATLY, AND
IS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. THERE IS
A RISK CRITERIA THAT THE WATER
BOARD HAS. BUT IN MY TALK, I
MENTIONED WILLING SELLERS. IF
YOU CAN JUST GET THOSE WILLING
SELLERS AND GET THEM OUT OF THE
WATER BUSINESS. THAT'S A WIN FOR
EVERYBODY. SO IF YOU CAN JUST
GET THOSE SMALLER WATER SYSTEMS
OUT OF THE WATER BUSINESS,
THAT'S A WIN FOR EVERYBODY. UH
BEFORE SAFER, I, I I'LL ADD THAT
. UH UH, YOU KNOW, THERE JUST
WASN'T A FUNDING SOURCE TO
ADDRESS THE SMALLER WATER
SYSTEMS. AND UM YOU KNOW MY ONE
OF MY JOBS AS A REGULATOR WAS TO
ASK MY LARGER WATER SYSTEMS TO
HELP ME OUT HERE AND, YOU KNOW,
TAKE OVER SOME OF THESE WATER
SYSTEMS. BUT WITHOUT THE FUNDING
SOURCES WITHOUT THE REGULATOR,
YOU KNOW, AGREEING TO SUBSIDIZE
THOSE COSTS AMONG THE OTHER
CUSTOMERS. IT JUST WASN'T GOING
TO HAPPEN. AND LASTLY, IF I
COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE POINT
ABOUT AFFORDABLE UM MY COMPANY.
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE. WE
SERVE WATER, YOU KNOW, ALL
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OUR
AVERAGE BILLS RANGE FROM $30 TO
100 AND $13 A MONTH. THAT'S A
FRACTION OF WHAT FOLKS PAY FOR
GAS AND ELECTRIC SERVICE
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL MR
CHAIR. ANY OTHER ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS YOU? YOU
SELECTED SOME GREAT PANELISTS ON
BOTH PANELS. UH, ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS FROM FROM THE PANEL?
WE'LL START FROM THE TOP. SURE I
JUST, UH AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR
THE INVITATION. UM THIS IS, UH,
THESE GOALS ARE OUR GOALS IN OUR
REGION, AND I THINK TO ANSWER
THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN'S QUESTION A
BIT BETTER. NÓ. IT IS A TOUGH IT
IS A TOUGH QUESTION. IT IS A
TOUGH, UM UH, JUST TASKED TO
ACHIEVE AND UH, I'VE HAD SEVERAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE
WATER BOARD MEMBERS, INCLUDING
MISS, UH, FIRESTONE. AND SHE SHE
ASKED ME A SIMILAR QUESTION, SHE
SAID. YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE
REPLICATE? WHAT YOU GUYS ARE
DOING OUT THERE IN THE COACHELLA
VALLEY. SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT
ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE. AND
IT'S VERY HARD TO ANSWER AND ALL
I CAN SAY IS THAT IT REQUIRES A
LOT OF COLLABORATION. UM, IT
REQUIRES EVERYBODY TO BE AT THE
TABLE. AND FOR EVERYONE TO BRING
THEIR OWN STRENGTHS. YOU. I
THINK SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES
MENTIONED THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
THAT ARE MORE KIND OF COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T
REALLY HAVE THE TECHNICAL
BACKGROUND TO MANAGE. EXTREMELY
COMPLEX PROJECTS THAT ARE VERY
TECHNICAL. SO THAT REQUIRES YOU
TO HAVE TECHNICAL FOLKS THAT
REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE THE WATER
AGENCIES THAT REQUIRES YOU TO
HAVE WILLING PARTICIPANTS THAT
REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE THE
POLITICAL WILL AND SO BEING ABLE
TO GET TO THAT POINT IS
EXTREMELY HARD. AND I THINK
THAT'S THE TASK THAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US AND THE MORE THAT WE
CAN WORK ON IT. I THINK THE
BETTER, UM FUTURE WE'RE GONNA
HAVE THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION. THANK YOU. YES,
THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY THAT
THE RESIDENTS WE WORK WITH FOR
TOO LONG HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH
INSECURE WATER SUPPLIES OR WATER
THAT IS MAKING THEM SICK. THAT
IS GIVING THEM CANCER THAT THEY
CAN'T TAKE A HOT SHOWER IN AND
THAT AS A STATE WE HAVE THE
RESOURCES AS A COUNTRY. WE HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO DO MUCH BETTER.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO
MUCH BETTER IT. IT'S
EMBARRASSING THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE
LIVING IN THESE CONDITIONS IN IN
CALIFORNIA. AND SO JUST TO.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US
TO HELP US IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO
HELP PASS SOME SOLUTIONS TO FIND
THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO GET
THESE PROJECTS GOING, AND TO
PRIORITIZE THE COMMUNITIES WHO
HAVE BEEN FOR TOO LONG LEFT OUT
AND LET'S MAKE WATER AFFORDABLE
AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. I THINK I
THINK BOTH HAVE EXPRESSED MUCH
OF WHAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY AS
WELL. BUT UH, AGAIN, JUST THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
AND SHARE OUR MEMBERS. UM YOU
KNOW, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES, BUT
ALSO OFFERING THEIR VOICES AND
BRINGING THEM TO THE TABLE TO
THINK ABOUT TOGETHER SOLUTIONS
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST
WILLING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PART
OF THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
AND DISCUSSION IN MOVING OUR
STATE FORWARD. AND THEN LASTLY,
I'LL JUST THANK THE COMMITTEE
FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY
PERSPECTIVE. I THINK THE, UH SB
200 LEGISLATION WAS REALLY
BREAKTHROUGH LEGISLATION BECAUSE
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE
WAS A DIRECT FOCUS ON SMALL
WATER SYSTEMS WITH DEDICATED
FUNDING TO ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, I. I
ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE
AND THE TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS
HEARING TOGETHER. AND UH, YOU
MAKE REFERENCE TO S¼ B 200
SENATOR MON, UH, AND, UH, THE
COLLABORATION WITH WITH HIM? OUR
HOUSE TO, UH, HAVE THE POLITICAL
WILL RIGHT, UH, TO MOVE THIS
DISCUSSION FORWARD. INITIALLY IT
WAS BEING FRAMED AS WE MAY NEED
TO PUSH AAA WATER FEE, A WATER
TAX AND, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS
WERE WILLING TO DO THAT RIGHT IN
IN THE INTEREST OF ADDRESSING
THIS ISSUE. UM BUT, UH, WE
DIDN'T HAVE TO, UM, AND, UH AND
WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE WITH, UH,
RESOURCES FROM OUR CLIMATE
INVESTMENTS. GIVEN THE NEXUS
THAT IS THERE, UM I. I WANNA
JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE. I THINK WE TAKE AWAY SOME
GOOD FEEDBACK AND, UH, SOME
MARCHING ORDERS AND SOME ASPECTS
FOR THE NEXT EFFORTS ON THIS
PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND WE WANNA
SEE, UM EVERY CORNER OF THE
STATE BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM
AND BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND SAY
THAT, UH, MORE PEOPLE. UM THEN,
UH, THIS, UH, HEARING THAT WE
HEARD IN THIS HEARING, HAVE, UH,
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, AND SO
THANK YOU. CHAIR AND EVERYONE
ELSE. I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME,
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE
COMMITTEE. IF YOU WILL, PLEASE
BE BRIEF, UH, A MINUTE IN ALL
THE NAME ASSOCIATION AND, UH,
AND, UH, YOUR COMMENTS. WE
GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT. MR
CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS ORAC GONZALEZ
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
COACHELLA. UM, ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS THIS LEGISLATOR
CAN DO IN THIS AREA OF POLICY IS
TO ENSURE THAT AS THE STATE
ADOPTS NEW DRINKING WATER
STANDARDS THAT ON THE FRONT END,
THEY BE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THE
FUNDING STREAMS THAT WILL ALLOW
SMALL DISADVANTAGED SYSTEMS TO
PAY FOR THOSE COMPLIANCE COSTS,
BUT ALSO THAT THE COMPLIANCE
TIMELINES BE REALISTIC. IN THE
CITY OF COACHELLA, FOR EXAMPLE,
LIKE MOST OF THE COACHELLA
VALLEY, WE HAVE NATURALLY
OCCURRING CHROMIUM THAT HAS BEEN
IN THE DRINKING WATER SINCE
BEFORE UH, THE MODERN COACHELLA
VALLEY EXISTED. BASED ON OUR
ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED M èC
THAT WILL BE ADOPTED NEXT MONTH
FOR CHROMIUM SIX. IT'S GONNA
COST THE CITY ALMOST $36 MILLION
TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO
COMPLY WITH THAT NEW STANDARD,
RESULTING IN AN AVERAGE INCREASE
IN CUSTOMER BILLS OF 120% FROM
AN AFFORDABILITY PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS GOING TO PUSH OUR
AFFORDABILITY INDEX TO 4.5%
ALMOST THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN
THE 1.5% THAT THE STATE USES TO
DETERMINE AFFORDABILITY FOR A
COMMUNITY WITH AVERAGE. UH
INCOME OF $35,000 A YEAR. THAT
IS JUST NOT REALISTIC. WE ARE
CERTAINLY THANKFUL TO YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN FOR INCLUDING A FUNDING
STREAM IN YOUR BOND TIED TO
AFFORDABILITY FOR CHROMIUM SIX
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU TO MAKING THAT A
REALITY. BUT INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH, UM, A AS WELL AS LAST
YEAR, YOU HELPED TO SECURE A
FUNDING FOR A PILOT STUDY THAT'S
GOING TO ALLOW US TO TEST AN
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP
US COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD. BUT
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE
GONNA RUN INTO IS THAT EVEN IF
WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT PILOT
STUDY DONE, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE
TO HAVE IT DONE IN TIME TO MEET
THE TIME. OF THE STATE, SO I'LL
JUST GIVE YOU IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE BE REALISTIC ON THE
FRONT END. UM AND CERTAINLY LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU TO, UH, KEEP CALIFORNIA
GOING FORWARD. GOOD MORNING. MY
NAME IS JENNIFER CLARY. I'M THE
CALIFORNIA DIRECTOR FOR CLEAN
WATER ACTION. AND I'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR 21
YEARS. I THINK, 21. YEAH SO JUST
TO SAY, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE
HOW MUCH SUCCESS WE'VE HAD. I'VE
BEEN IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE
DOZENS OF TIMES OVER THE LAST 20
YEARS, WHEN I STARTED THE ONLY
WAY YOU COULD DO PLANNING FOR
YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE WAS TO GET A
LOAN FROM THE STATE THROUGH THE
S¼ RF CONSOLIDATIONS WERE A
DIRTY WORD. I COULDN'T USE IT AT
ANY COMMUNICATIONS WITH WATER
AGENCIES AND NAMED AND, UH AND
THERE WAS JUST OH, AND THE FIRST
GRANT. WE HAD THE FIRST GRANT
PROGRAM WE HAD TARGETED SMALL
COMMUNITIES WAS IN PROPOSITION
50 IN THE FIRST FUNDING PROPOSAL
WE HAD WE HAD $3 MILLION
AVAILABLE AND WE HAVE $300
MILLION IN APPLICATIONS. SO JUST
YOU'VE DONE A LOT. YOU GUYS HAVE
HELPED US WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS.
YOU'VE HELPED US WITH FUNDING.
YOU'VE HELPED US CHIP AWAY AT
THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING
DOING SET ASIDES FOR
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WAS
HUGE GETTING FUNDING IN PROP
ENDED, INCLUDING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, REALLY ALLOWED US TO
EXPERIMENT AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT WORKED CAUSE. REMEMBER THIS
ISN'T JUST FUNDING OUT THE DOOR.
THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE
HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE. SO WE MAY
HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE
SAFER PROGRAM. BUT THAT'S
BECAUSE WE'RE PRACTICING. WE'RE
TRYING, AND YOU NOW HAVE A
WILLING PARTNER FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU WERE LIKE IMPOSING SOLUTIONS
ON AN UNWILLING AGENCY. NOW YOU
HAVE A PARTNER. SO WHAT I'D
REALLY LIKE THIS COMMITTEE TO DO
IS TO TAKE THAT PARTNERSHIP
SERIOUSLY MAKE CHANGES AS
THEY'RE NEEDED AND SUPPORT THE
CONTINUATION OF THIS PROGRAM
PAST ITS 2030 EXPIRATION DATE.
THANK YOU. HØI GOOD MORNING,
ANDREA ABAL I'M THE MANAGER OF
WATER POLICY AT THE CALIFORNIA
MUNICIPAL UTILITIES ASSOCIATION.
WE LARGELY REPRESENT URBAN AND
LARGER, MEDIUM AND LARGE SIZE
SYSTEMS. SO WHY ARE WE HERE? OUR
INVOLVEMENT? WE REALLY WANT TO
SEE THIS PROGRAM BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WERE LARGE SUPPORTERS OF SB
200. WE ENGAGE OFTEN AS WITH
AQUA, WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK AFTER
ME AND OFTENTIMES WERE CRITICAL
OF THE IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE WE
WANT THE PROGRAM TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. WE WANNA SEE THE
FUNDED APPROPRIATELY WE WANNA
SEE FUTURE FUNDING. THAT IS
APPROPRIATELY, UH AND USED
EFFECTIVELY. A CHALLENGE THAT
WE'VE FOUND, AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT
CRITICAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.
JUST JUST LIKE JENNIFER CLARE
SAID. IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT IT'S
WORKING AND TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM MOVING FORWARD, BUT SOMETHING
WE'VE NOTICED IS THAT THE
GOALPOST TEND TO MOVE THE
CRITERIA THAT ARE USED AND THE
NEEDS ASSESSMENT CHANGES, WHICH
INCREASES THE NUMBER OF SYSTEMS
THAT DO END UP ON THAT FAILING
OR THE AT RISK. S¼, UH,
CATEGORIES AND WE KNOW THAT THE
OVERALL GOAL IS TO GET SYSTEMS
OFF OF THOSE LISTS. BUT SO WE
NEED TO THINK OF HOW TO ADDRESS
WHICH SYSTEM SHOULD BE ON THE
LIST AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT
THEY HAVE AND GET THEM OFF
BEFORE EXPANDING THE NEEDS
ASSESSMENT TO THE MEDIUM OR
LARGER SIZE. UH, SYSTEMS. UM IN
THE PAST, WE HAVE ASKED THE
BOARD TO NARROW THE FOCUS OF THE
NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH STAFF
THERE AND WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SEE
THOSE GOALPOSTS IN PLACE AND SEE
THE PROGRAM WORKING EFFECTIVELY,
AND THE CHALLENGE WITH THE
MOVING GOALPOST IS JUST HOW TO
MEASURE THE PROGRESS OVER TIME.
I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD BE
, UH, BE MORE WOULD BENEFIT IF
THERE WAS A MORE TRANSPARENT
PROCESS TO DEMONSTRATE ALL THIS
PROGRESS THAT IS MADE. UM LASTLY
, I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT
WHAT'S IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD
IS TO MAXIMIZE THE FUNDING
THAT'S AVAILABLE AND WE REALLY
WANT TO SEE THAT FUNDING GOING
TO THE SMALL AND VERY SMALL
SYSTEMS THAT NEED IT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS
SORI NELSON WITH THE ASSOCIATION
OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES. WE
REPRESENT 470 PUBLIC WATER
PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE THAT
PROVIDE ABOUT 90% OF THE WATER
USED IN THE STATE. UM, I WANTED
TO START BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE
GOOD WORK OF TERRA CAVE AND HIS
STAFF ON THIS PROGRAM. UM IF
YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO
THE BOARD RECENTLY, THEY HAVE A
HUGE WORKLOAD IN FRONT OF THEM
AND HAVE NOT LOST SIGHT OF THE
VERY HIGH IMPORTANCE OF THIS
PROGRAM. BEING SUCCESSFUL. SO
WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM,
I, I THINK ONE OF THE, UM AND I
SHOULD ALSO MENTION I'M A MEMBER
OF THE FOR ADVISORY GROUP. AND
SO I BRING THAT PERSPECTIVE AS
WELL. I THINK ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES FACED WITH THE UM
STATE'S WORK ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS
, WATER, AND THE SAFER PROGRAM
IS IT HAS A REALLY HARD TIME
TELLING ITS OWN STORY SOMETIMES,
UM, I THINK AS MY THE LAST
SPEAKER MENTIONED THE CRITERIA
THAT WE USE OVER TIME CHANGES
EVERY YEAR AND THE NEEDS
ASSESSMENT. UM AND NEW CRITERIA
ADDED OR TWEAKED AND NEW DATA IS
GOOD, BUT IT DOES MAKE IT REALLY
HARD TO TRACK THE PROGRESS WE'VE
MADE. UM, AND THE SAME EXTENDS
TO THE COST ASSESSMENT WE DO
EVERY YEAR. SO THE PRICE TAG OF
ACHIEVING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER RECENTLY JUMPED $6 BILLION
, UP FROM 4.5 TO OVER 10 AND
PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS,
WE ADDED A CATEGORY THAT WOULD
FUND OVER 30,000 NEW WELLS BEING
DRILLED FOR SYSTEMS AND DOMESTIC
WELL USERS THAT HAVE A HIGH RISK
OF RUNNING OUT OF WATER BUT
AREN'T NECESSARILY ALREADY OUT
OF WATER OR HAVE WATER THAT'S
OUT OF COMPLIANCE. AND SO
THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE TO THE
DATA. AND SO I THINK, A FOCUS
FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
BOARD AT FOR AT THE HALFWAY
POINT HERE AND IN THE END OF THE
PROGRAM IS HAVING GOOD DATA TO
MAKE DECISIONS SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
MICHAEL CLAIBORNE. I'M A
DIRECTING ATTORNEY AT LEADERSHIP
COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY AND ALSO A FORMER
ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER FOR THE
SAFER PROGRAM. UH, WE WORK
ALONGSIDE COMMUNITIES IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY AND THE EAST
COACHELLA VALLEY. UH THE
COMMUNITIES WE WORK ALONGSIDE
OFTEN HAVE SOME OF THE WORST
WATER QUALITY AND WATER SUPPLY
ISSUES IN THE STATE. UH,
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE LITTLE TECHNICAL,
MANAGERIAL AND FINANCIAL
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER
SAFE DRINKING WATER RELIABLY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY NEED
SUPPORT. SO WE APPLAUD THE STATE
WATER BOARD'S EFFORTS IN
IMPLEMENTING THE SAFER PROGRAM.
AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, THERE'S
BEEN A LOT OF SUCCESS
COMMUNITIES LIKE LANA AND
METHENY TRACT IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY HAVE SAFE DRINKING WATER
TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SAFER
PROGRAM AND BECAUSE OF THE STATE
WATER BOARD'S EFFORTS TO GET
FUNDING OUT THE DOOR. THERE'S
ALSO AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, A
LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO,
INCLUDING COMMUNITIES LIKE TOOLY
TOMBSTONE TERRITORY. CANTU CREEK
POOR VEER FULLER ACRES AND
MOBILE HOME PARKS WITHIN THE
COACHELLA VALLEY DEALING WITH
ARSENIC PROBLEMS. SO WHAT WE
WOULD URGE THE LEGISLATURE TO DO
IS CONTINUE SUPPORTING THESE
PROGRAMS. UH, EXTEND THE SAFER
PROGRAM PAST 2030 SO THAT WE
KEEP MAKING THIS PROGRESS. UH,
BETTER FUND REGULATORY PROGRAMS
LIKE THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER
MANAGEMENT ACT AND THE PUERTO
RICO AND WATER QUALITY CONTROL
ACT TO PROTECT WATER SUPPLIES IN
THE FIRST PLACE AND PREVENT
POLLUTION. AND THEN ADDRESS THE
URGENT NEED TO ENSURE THAT WATER
IS AFFORDABLE BY PASSING A LOW
INCOME RATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
REALLY APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION
TO THIS ISSUE AND THANK YOU TO
THE COMMITTEE. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR GARCIA MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO
BE BEFORE YOU TODAY. UH, MY NAME
IS DANIELLE COATES. I'M WITH
RANCHO CALIFORNIA WATER DISTRICT
. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO
ADVANCING SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
DRINKING WATER THROUGH THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS SINCE 2011
PASSING LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS
LIABILITY CONCERNS, AS WELL AS
LEGISLATION ON, UH ADVANCED
SOUGHT TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION ON
UM, CONSOLIDATIONS. I APPRECIATE
THE COMMENTS ON, UH, THEIR BEING
SPACE FOR ALL SOLUTION. AND ALL
PARTIES AT THE TABLE. I DO
BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THERE IS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VIABLE PUBLIC
WATER SYSTEMS TO BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION AND PART OF ADVANCING
OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AND
SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SOME OF THE THOUGHTS IN
TERMS OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ELEVATE FOR
CONSIDERATION IS TO CONTINUE
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT SYSTEM
SYSTEM AFFORDABILITY AS A MEANS
TO ADDRESS HOUSEHOLD
AFFORDABILITY. THEY ARE
DIFFERENT. THEY ARE DISTINCT AND
THERE'S IN THEIR SOLUTION TYPES,
BUT AS WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE
SYSTEMS MORE VIABLE AND LESS
VOLATILE, WE'RE ABLE TO
STABILIZE RATES AND PASS THOSE
RATE SAVINGS ON TO THE
CUSTOMERS. SO I THINK SAFER HAS
DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN
EXPLORING THAT, BUT I THINK
THERE'S A LITTLE MORE ROOM AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE AND I WOULD BE
REMISS AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID
EARLIER THE WORK THAT THE STATE
BOARD HAS DONE ON THE SAFER
PROGRAM. IT IS A HUGE LIFT, AND
I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO IT
FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO IN
ADDITION TO, UH, LOOKING AT
SYSTEM AFFORDABILITY SEEK
OPPORTUNITIES TO REGIONAL
SOLUTIONS. THESE COULD BE
THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM
TO SYSTEM CONSOLIDATIONS THAT
COULD BE MANAGERIAL
CONSOLIDATIONS. THERE'S VARIOUS
TYPES OF CONSOLIDATIONS THAT WE
COULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. UH,
EXPLORE THROUGH THIS
CONVERSATION. IN ADDITION TO
THAT REGIONAL SOLUTION, WE
SHOULD ALSO LOOK AT
OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN BE
UTILIZED BY MULTIPLE SYSTEMS AND
PROVIDE ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND
THAT MEANS AND THEN, UM, GREATER
SCRUTINY OF SYSTEMS WHERE
BOTTLED WATER IS THE ONGOING
SOLUTION. COULD THERE BE PILOT
PROJECTS INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE COULD UTILIZE IN THESE
SPACES? FINALLY I WOULD CONCLUDE
MY REMARKS WITH SAYING THAT, UM
RANCH OF WATER HAS BEEN
EXPLORING THE ISSUE OF THE
BRIDGE LOANS AND FINANCING OF
UM, WATER SYSTEMS IN GENERAL,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HOPE TO
ELEVATE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS AND IN THE COMING
MONTHS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR MEMBERS, UH RYAN Ó JACK
CAME WITH THE REGIONAL WATER
AUTHORITY. RW A, UH, IS
COMPRISED OF 22 DRINKING WATER
SUPPLIERS THAT SERVE 2.2 MILLION
PEOPLE IN THE GREATER SACRAMENTO
AREA. UH, OUR MISSION IS
ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS HEARING IS
ABOUT. IS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER. RIGHT? SO
WHAT DOES THAT TAKE? IT TAKES.
RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY, WHICH WE
ACTUALLY DIDN'T TALK A LOT ABOUT
TODAY, BUT THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON
THAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE. UM IT IS
IN THE IT'S IN THE ANALYSIS AND,
YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTED IN THE
VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH, BUT WE
DIDN'T TALK A LOT ABOUT IT
TODAY, BUT I DO NEED TO. I DO
NEED TO MAKE THAT POINT. UM
QUALITY, WHICH WE SPENT A LOT OF
TIME TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND
AFFORDABILITY, WHICH WE TOUCHED
ON DIDN'T DIVE INTO I WANT TO
REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMENTS
THAT YOU MADE CHAIR THERE AT THE
END ABOUT HOW DO WE PAY FOR THIS
? BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S
THE CENTRAL ISSUE, RIGHT? WE
KNOW. AND I DO WANNA ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE COMMENTS
HERE. THE SAFER PROGRAM HAS HAS
PROVIDED US WITH A PATH FORWARD.
HAS IT GOTTEN EVERYTHING RIGHT
ON ITS FIRST STEP NÓ, BUT IT IS
THAT A REASONABLE EXPECTATION.
NÓ IS IT GETTING BETTER? YES I
THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT HERE
TODAY. WE WANT TO KEEP BUILDING
ON THAT, BUT THE FUNDAMENTAL
UNDER THERE ON ALL OF THIS IS
HOW DO WE PAY FOR THESE THINGS?
AND WHAT IS THAT SOURCE OF
FUNDING AND I? I DO WANNA SAY
THAT. WHERE WE LANDED ON SB. 200
FUNDING WAS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT
AVOIDED PLACING ADDITIONAL
BURDEN ON THE 95% OF WATER
PROVIDERS THAT HAVE BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN THE STATE IN
ACHIEVING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER AND ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS
AND THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE
NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND
I'LL CLOSE MY COMMENTS THERE. I
APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK
EVERYONE WHO HAS, UH, SHARED
THEIR PERSPECTIVES DURING PUBLIC
COMMENTS. VERY INSIGHTFUL
HEARING. WE COVERED A LOT OF
GROUND. WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH,
DIALOGUE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE,
YOU KNOW WAYS TO IMPROVE THE
PROGRAM. THAT IS THE SAFER
PROGRAM AND WE ALSO WANT TO
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE A BROADER
STAKEHOLDER. UM AUDIENCE. UH,
OUR NATIVE AMERICAN, UM NATIONS
ARE A CENTRAL COMPONENT TO
COLLABORATION IN SOME PARTS OF
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHERE
ACCESS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SAFE CLEAN DRINKING WATER ARE
FUNDAMENTAL. I KNOW THAT FOR OUR
REGION AND OTHER PARTS THAT WERE
MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE, TOOLY,
UH, AREAS THAT WE KNOW ALSO HAVE
SOME CHALLENGES. AND PROBABLY
THE LIST IS FAR LONGER THAN THAT
. SO ONCE AGAIN JUST WANT TO
THANK THE STAFF AND THE
PANELISTS THAT WERE WITH US. AND
FOR THAT, UH, WE'LL NOW ADJOURN.
THANK YOU.