What Problems Are We Facing
with the Current Water Crisis?
Learn Why Cutting Off Water To Farmers Is So Devastating to California In More Ways Than A Few
What Are The Biggest Issues We’re Facing?
California is ranked highest among all states in terms of water infrastructure needs. A long outdated system has left California vulnerable and will take time and our support to fix
1.) California Must Invest in Meaningful Water Supply Infrastructure
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2013 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment determined that since 2007, California’s water infrastructure needs increased from $44.2 billion to $44.5 billion. California’s needs include an estimated $26.7 billion to improve drinking water transmission, $8.4 billion for water treatment and $6.4 billion for water storage.
Significant investments are needed to address renewal and replacement, maintenance, security and reliability funding for California’s wastewater infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2013 California Infrastructure Report Card estimates that $4.5 billion will need to be spent annually for the next 10 years to modestly improve wastewater infrastructure.
The ASCE 2013 California Infrastructure Report Card also found that the backbone flood control and drainage systems serving California cities, including channels, levees, retarding basins, dams and pump stations, vary widely in condition and capacity to prevent flooding from major storms. Levees protect thousands of homes, businesses and critical community infrastructure. It’s estimated that funding shortfalls for regional flood control facilities exceed $2.8 billion annually over the next 10 years.
As regional water quality boards adopt more stringent requirements, local agencies are being called on to adopt expansive and expensive stormwater management programs, requiring funding that simply does not yet exist. The League is currently conducting a survey of its members to assess the magnitude of this need, but anecdotal reports suggest it is immense, and funding options are extremely limited without changes in state law.
2.) Environmental Agencies Must Be Held Accountable for Their Water Use
Between 2012-2013 we flushed 815,000 acre-feet of water into the ocean with no measurable environmental benefit. This was enough water to farm 200,000 acres of land and could have grown 3.2 billion heads of lettuce, 210 million cartons of melons, 20 million tons of grapes and 10 million tons of tomatoes.
In 2015, we are able to see that not only did this not have the desired impact environmentalists had hoped it would, and pushed to move forward with despite scientific proof of their claims, in some cases it has now caused environmental threats to more species.
More about the impacts of unregulated environmental use on California water:
Four Important Ways The California Water Crisis is Affecting Our Community, Environment, Economy
& Well Being on a Daily Basis
Agriculture provides over 1.1 million jobs, generated an estimated $136.3 billion last year in annual sales, producing a net trade surplus of $42 billion; this surplus was $5 billion five years ago. California agriculture accounts for more than 50% of the food supply in the United States.
With the strictest environmental regulations of any other state, and far more than any country that would import similar foods from around the world, California’s food supply is the safest…Period! California cannot afford to lose it’s number one this precious industry that provides safe local food. For the health and longevity of our farms, the time to work together to resolve our water crisis is now.
Californians love their rivers, lakes, bays and beaches. There is an emotional connection to the water both along the coast and inland that has made California a destination for millions. However, with large amounts of human traffic, these same great locations have become polluted with trash, bacteria, and toxins that have caused great debate upon their origin and the solution to reduce their effects on human and endangered wildlife.
In recent years, conflicting scientific studies, political opinions, and special interests have all confused many Californians by using rhetoric to push their position ahead of others. For the health of our environment, the time to work together to resolve our water crisis is now.
A safe, reliable water supply is critical to the wellbeing of every Californian. Water provides for the welfare and health of citizens through uses in fire suppression and disease prevention. Water also creates jobs, offers investment, and supports businesses.
Each day, millions of Californians turn on their household faucets with very little concern for the process of storing and conveying water before it arrives at the tap. We are very fortunate here in California to have skilled people, within both the private and government sectors, who work constantly to maintain and manage our most precious resource on earth … water. For the health of our families, the time to work together to resolve our water crisis is now.
On-the-water activities have always been, and will continue to be, a great way to spend time with young and old alike, however these activities take more water than we are currently able to afford. What does this mean for recreational business owners? Power boating, sail boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, camping and swimming in California’s ocean, lakes, and rivers provides the outdoor recreation, quality family time, and great exercise that we all need for a healthy lifestyle, will that need to stop? Right now Palm Springs is using more water than the rest of California combined. How can we prioritize swimming pools and golf courses over our nations food source.
California’s coastal waterways provide unlimited fantastic surfing, cruising, deep sea fishing, kayaking, and whale watching opportunities. For continued outstanding recreation, the time to work together to resolve our water crisis is now.
Resource via: California Water Alliance