Brown Signs Water Bond

Sacramento, CA — A $7.5 billion water bond will go before California voters in November.

The legislature approved the bipartisan bond yesterday afternoon, and it will replace the planned $11.1 billion bond, which Governor Jerry Brown had called too “pork laden.”

The new bond calls for $2.7 billion for new water storage, $1.49 billion for watershed restoration, $810 million for water reliability projects, $520 million for water quality projects, $725 million for water recycling, $900 million for groundwater cleanup, and $395 million for flood management.

Governor Brown says, “Water is the lifeblood of any civilization, and for California it’s the precondition of healthy rivers, valleys, farms, and a strong economy. With this water bond, legislators from both parties have affirmed their faith in California’s future.”

District 14 Republican Senator Tom Berryhill says, “Not only was this a big win for agriculture, industry, jobs, and all of California, it was also a win for bipartisanship.”

The measure passed 37-0 in the Senate and 77-2 in the Assembly.

District 5 Republican Assemblyman Frank Bigelow says, “This water bond proposal includes a much-needed down-payment for many vital water storage projects, and puts California on track toward creating a reliable water supply for generations to come.”