Press Release Provided by State Water Contractors
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced December 1st, that the initial allocation for public water agencies is zero percent of contracted water supplies from the State Water Project (SWP) in 2022. This includes zero water allocation for many communities throughout California and the businesses and farms that rely on SWP water to support their industries. The decision reflects California’s severe drought conditions and the State’s objectives to prioritize deliveries for human health and safety needs and for the environment.
“Today’s allocation shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The impact of extended drought and climate change limit opportunities for the delivery of SWP water to support the millions of Californians who rely on it. The State has made clear that the severity of the drought and prioritization of water supplies for the environment have reduced California’s ability to provide water for municipal and industrial uses that fuel our economy and provide good paying jobs throughout the state,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors. “Despite a water allocation of zero percent, our public water agencies and the families, farms and businesses they serve will continue to fund 100 percent of the operation and maintenance costs of the SWP – California’s most important infrastructure that provides an irreplaceable volume of water we will need to adapt to the ever-increasing impacts of drought and climate change. Drought doesn’t come in cycles anymore; it is simply our new normal. Adapting to that new normal will require us to continue investing in the SWP, develop local water supplies and make conservation a way of life. It also compels us to re-examine how we prioritize our state’s limited water supplies to their highest and best use for the people of California.”
