April eNews: Drought Emergency and Woman of the Year
The big news this month is that Governor Newsom declared a drought emergency for Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
Without a doubt, drought is here, and we need to protect water for communities with vulnerable water supplies.
We support the Governor’s initial actions and look forward to more protections for other rural counties when they need it.
The last drought crisis was worsened by a lack of pre-drought preparedness, which forced officials to scramble and left families without water for months or longer.
We definitely don’t want to see a repeat. But we can’t rely solely on the Governor, either. You, too, can take action to protect drinking water..
Next week is Drinking Water Week and there will be plenty of opportunities to support safe, clean, and affordable drinking water for all Californians.
Keep an eye out for updates in the days to come.
Adelante,
Susana De Anda
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Water Leader Lucy Hernandez Named Woman of the Year
Lucy Hernandez was named Community Engagement Woman of the Year, Tulare County District 4, in March 2021.
Long-time AGUA Coalition and Community Water Leaders Network member, Lucy Hernandez was recently named Community Engagement Woman of Year for Tulare County District 4 in March.
Hernandez, who lives in West Goshen, has been an advocate since 2008. She began by partnering with Community Water Center to fight for safe, clean, and affordable water because her community was struggling with nitrate contamination. To address the issue, Lucy stepped into a leadership position by joining the board and becoming president of her community's water provider, West Goshen Mutual Water Company.
As president, Lucy oversaw the connection of homes with contaminated wells to the City of Visalia water system, providing those homes with safe water. It was a big step and she is still working to connect the rest of the homes in her community to safe water by partnering with CWC to study options for the remaining homes.
Today, Hernandez works as an emergency relief coordinator with the UFW Foundation to conduct community outreach, including distributing face masks and hand sanitizer. She also collaborates with Self-Help Enterprises on a project to connect San Joaquin Valley families to affordable and efficient energy through a pilot project to bring solar power and electric appliances to homes in West Goshen.
Hernandez is also a member of the SAFER Advisory Group, which provides advice to the State Water Board on its Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund Expenditure Plan.
For Hernandez, advocating for safe drinking water and clean energy is very important to her.
“For me, it’s being able to provide safe drinking water for everybody,” she said. “Only a small portion of our community is connected to city water. Some of our residents still depend on a domestic well. I also want to make sure our community becomes a solar community.”
Hernandez also encouraged others to participate in their communities in some way.
“I think it’s important to participate in your community because there are issues everywhere,” she said. “Right now, with the pandemic, people are behind on their water bills. They couldn’t afford their water bills before and the pandemic only made it worse. We need to participate so we can bring changes to better our community.”
Congratulations, Lucy!
Drinking Water Week May 2 - 8
Drinking Water Week is May 2 - 8, 2021!
Celebrated for more than 40 years, this week is an opportunity for everyone to recognize the vital role that water plays in our daily lives.
It also provides opportunities for everyone to take action to ensure that all Californians have access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and take action for safe drinking water!
Water Affordability Bills Progressing through State Senate
Our coalition has been working hard to ensure water is affordable for low-income families.
That’s why we’re supporting SB 222 and SB 223, authored by Senator Bill Dodd.
They will create a statewide Low-Income Water Affordability program and strengthen water shutoff and bill repayment protections.
In April they both passed their first two hurdles! The Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee and the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
Keep it going! Tell your legislators to support affordable water at AffordableWaterForCA.org.
Drought is Here: We need a Plan Now
Emergency water stations helped San Joaquin Valley residents get water during the last drought. We can’t afford a repeat.
Governor Newsom declared a drought emergency for Sonoma and Mendocino counties on April 21.
The last drought crisis was worsened by a lack of pre-drought preparedness, which forced officials to scramble and left families without water for months or longer.
That's why we support SB 552 (Hertzberg). It which will create a more proactive framework for drought planning at the local level. It has passed through both of its legislative policy committees and is now headed to Senate Appropriations.
Contact your state senator and ask them to support SB 552 to ensure drought planning for all Californians.
Find your senator here.
Learn more here.
May 6 is the Big Day of Giving: Increase Your Impact Through Gifts of Stocks
Did you know you can donate stock to Community Water Center?
You can. It’s easy, it’s tax-deductible, and it advances access to safe drinking water.
Gifts of stock are a great way to support CWC, because your gift is mutually beneficial — it helps advance the human right to water, while you avoid paying capital gains tax and receive a tax deduction for your donation.
To get started, visit CWC’s Gifts of Stock webpage or contact CWC’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Natalie Garcia-Grazier at natalie.garcia@communitywatercenter.org or (559) 301-8224.
Meetings and Events
El Comité Members: The next meetings will be on April 30 and May 28, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Call Mayra at (831) 500-2125 to get the Zoom call-in information.
CWC in the News!
California is on the brink of drought – again. Is it ready?
“When residential wells ran dry, ‘high schools opened up early so students could shower before class.’ … Households lucky enough to dredge up some water ran hoses over to neighbors whose supplies had run dry, ‘so they could flush their toilets.’ ”
Erick Orellana, Policy Advocate, Community Water Center
OPINION: We Can’t Build Back Better Without Water
“Access to water is about public health, and it is equally about racial justice and equity.”
Dolores Huerta and Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
California wells will go dry this summer. ‘Alarm bells are sounding’ in the Valley
“The last drought crisis was worsened by a lack of pre-drought preparedness, which forced state and local officials to scramble and left families without water for months or even longer. … What can, and must, be new with this drought is how we respond, both in the moment and in the long-term.”
Susana De Anda, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Community Water Center
Gov. Newsom declares emergency drought in two California counties. Central Valley excluded for now
"99% of the state is now experiencing abnormally dry conditions and 94% of the state is now in drought conditions. Yet for rural communities of color in the Central Valley and Central Coast, this 'new' drought is not new at all — because many never fully recovered from the last drought and have lived with a drinking water crisis for years."
Susana De Anda, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Community Water Center
See more CWC news coverage here.
Safe Water Resources
Thank you to our Generous Donors!
Huge thank you to our regular monthly donors, whose continual contributions help to sustain our long-term work toward achieving safe, clean and affordable drinking water!
Anavel Valdez-Lupercio, Arden Wells, Arohi Sharma, Bessma Mourad, Carly Yoshida, Cassie Morgan, Esperanza Pimentel, F Thomas Biglione, Frank Lukacs, Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Julia Emerson, Kathryn Gilje, Kathryn Wuelfing, Kelly Archer, Kelsey Hinton, Klara East, Kristin Dobbin, Lara Cushing, Leonard Sklar, Paul Pierce, Sandra Hocker, Stephen Gasteyer, Vicki Woods, and Victoria Klug
And thank you to our generous donors for April!
Kelsey Hinton and Robert Kimberling
Be a water champion and support safe water for all.
