The people of California find and declare all of the following:
(a)CA Water Code § 79701(a) Safeguarding California’s supply of clean and safe water for homes, businesses, and farms is an essential responsibility of government, and critical to protecting the quality of life for all Californians.
(b)CA Water Code § 79701(b) Every Californian should have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.
(c)CA Water Code § 79701(c) California has been experiencing more frequent and severe droughts and is currently enduring the worst drought in 200 years. These droughts are magnifying the shortcomings of our current water infrastructure.
(d)CA Water Code § 79701(d) California’s water infrastructure continues to age and deteriorate. More than 50 years ago, Californians approved the construction of the State Water Project. In recent decades, however, that infrastructure has proven inadequate to meet California’s growing needs.
(e)CA Water Code § 79701(e) This measure provides funding to implement the three objectives of the California Water Action Plan which are more reliable water supplies, the restoration of important species and habitat, and a more resilient and sustainably managed water infrastructure.
(f)CA Water Code § 79701(f) Developing and
guarding our water resources is critical for California to maintain vibrant communities, globally competitive agriculture, and healthy ecosystems.
(g)CA Water Code § 79701(g) Encouraging water conservation and recycling are commonsense methods to make more efficient use of existing water supplies.
(h)CA Water Code § 79701(h) Sustainable water management in California depends upon reducing and reversing overdraft and water quality impairment of groundwater basins. Investments to expand groundwater storage and reduce and reverse overdraft and water quality impairment of groundwater basins provide extraordinary public benefit and are in the public interest.
(i)CA Water Code § 79701(i) Protecting lakes, rivers, and streams, cleaning up polluted groundwater supplies, and preserving water sources that supply the entire state are crucial to providing a reliable supply of water and protecting
the state’s natural resources.
(j)CA Water Code § 79701(j) The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 provides a comprehensive and fiscally responsible approach for addressing the varied challenges facing California’s water resources.
