SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Assemblyman Luis Alejo is working to improve the quality of your drinking water. In a packed committee hearing room in the State Capitol, the Assembly's Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee met Wednesday to conduct an oversight hearing to investigate reports of widespread contaminated drinking water in California's small and disadvantaged communities.
Alejo (D-Salinas), Chair of the Committee, convened the investigative hearing to determine whether the state agencies tasked with assuring safe and accessible drinking water are meeting their legal obligations.
"Having access to safe and affordable drinking water is a basic human right. The fact that more than two million Californians lack access to safe drinking water is absolutely unacceptable," says Alejo. "The hearing highlighted many changes to the state's Drinking Water Program that are necessary to ensure long-term, sustainable drinking water solutions for small, disadvantaged communities. I demand immediate action to address this basic human need."
Agencies that are responsible for drinking water regulation include the Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
"Our communities deserve action now," says Laurel Firestone, Co-Executive Director Community Water Center. "We need legislative action to change the way we are addressing drinking water needs as a State, and support community-driven efforts to create real, lasting solutions."
At the suggestion of witnesses, stakeholders and constituents, Assemblymember Alejo has committed to author urgency legislation to immediately allocate two million dollars to develop an integrated plan to address the drinking water and wastewater needs of the disadvantaged communities in the Salinas Valley. He also is working with stakeholders on additional long-term solutions to the state's drinking water dilemma.
The hearing's major focus was on the implementation of the State's Drinking Water Program. Recent reports have shown that more than 2 million Californians lack safe and accessible drinking water.
