January: Agua Coalition Expands to Central Coast
Welcome to a new year! 2021 promises to be a great year for advocating for safe, clean, and affordable drinking water at the local, state and national levels.
For starters, the AGUA Coalition, a community-based group that originated in the San Joaquin Valley, expanded to include community partners from the Central Coast.
California Senator Bill Dodd introduced legislation to make water more affordable and prevent mass water shutoffs.
And President Biden appointed water champion Radhika Fox, CEO of the U.S. Water Alliance, to help lead the United States EPA Office of Water.
While these are exciting times, California families remain impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A State Water Board survey report helped us understand how bad the problem is. You can read about it below.
But despite the challenges that lie ahead, we see opportunities for change. No matter what, we remain committed to advocating for drinking water solutions alongside our community partners, until all Californians have safe, clean, and affordable drinking water.
Adelante,
Susana De Anda
Co-Founder and Executive Director
California Households Drowning in $1 Billion in Water Debt
As previously reported, a State Water Board survey shows:
California households are drowning in $1 billion in water debt.
1.6 million households, or nearly 5 million Californians, are in water debt and feeling crushed under water bills that keep piling up with no end in sight.
155,000 Californians owe at least $1,000 alone.
More than 130 small California water systems are only months away from needing a financial lifeline to keep their water flowing.
In a pandemic, not having access to safe water means not having access to the most basic form of PPE — being able to wash your hands.
We need urgent action at the state and federal level to keep the water flowing. Our coalition is working to pass new state legislation authored by Senator Bill Dodd, SB 222 and SB 223. These bills will create a new affordability program and strengthen shutoff and bill repayment protections.
To learn more visit AffordableWaterForCA.org
Agua Coalition Expands to Central Coast
The AGUA Coalition, or La Asociación de Gente Unida por el Agua (AGUA) has now expanded to the Central Coast!
The coalition, which originated in the San Joaquin Valley, voted to amend their bylaws to expand their focus and include the Central Coast region on Oct. 26, 2020. On Nov. 23, 2020 they voted to include their first Central Coast members Ignacio Garcia and Horacio Amezquita.
Ignacio Garcia is a member of El Comité para tener Agua Sana, Limpia y Económica from the community north of Moss Landing and Horacio Amezquita is the General Manager of the San Jerardo Cooperative near Salinas and a member of the SAFER Advisory Group.
As new AGUA members, Ignacio and Horacio will continue to shape statewide policy for safe drinking water. Together, San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast residents will benefit from information sharing on drinking water issues and strategize on local and statewide solutions.
“If we don’t join together, then no one will hear our concerns,” said Horacio, adding that there has been a missing need for coalition building around water issues in the Central Coast.
”We from El Comite from the Moss Landing community are very happy to have this opportunity to be included and to be part of AGUA,” said Ignacio. “All of us are fighting for the same objective - to have clean, safe, and affordable drinking water.”
Ignacio Garcia leads a community platica in the north area of Moss Landing in 2019.
Horacio Amezquita speaks at a press conference for safe and clean drinking water in Monterey County.
CWC/Community Partners featured in Podcast: Water is Gold
CWC and fellow community partners were featured in a great podcast by Cal Ag Roots that examines how access to groundwater is influenced by drought and climate change, but also, how the persistence of drought conditions can be tied to histories of human decision-making and structural racism within the Central Valley.
Community partners interviewed include Lucy Hernandez, Melynda Metheney, Vergie Nuñez, Cristobal Chavez, and Tomas Garcia, along with CWC’s Daniel Peñaloza and Susana De Anda.
1,2,3-TCP Pilot Project Launches in Central Coast
CWC and community partners launched a pilot project in December to help Central Coast households who rely on wells to reduce their exposure to harmful contaminants.
The 1,2,3-TCP Pilot Project aims to help up to 20 households with private or shared wells to improve drinking water quality and reduce exposure to 1,2,3-TCP, as well as inform a better understanding of the costs of implementing and monitoring such a program.
1,2,3-TCP remains in groundwater for a very long time and is known to cause cancer, liver and kidney damage, as well as other health impacts.
On Dec. 30, the first treatment system was installed in a home of a community partner!
This 1,2,3 TCP Point of Entry (POE) water treatment system was installed in a Central Coast community partner’s home on Dec. 30, 2020.
Meetings and Events
AGUA Coalition Members: The next meeting will be Feb. 8, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Members may call Christina at (559) 733-0219 to get the Zoom call-in info.
El Comité Members: The next two meetings will be on Jan. 29 and Feb. 26, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.. Members may call Mayra at (831) 500-2125 to get the Zoom call-in information.
CWC in the News
Water crisis looms as California households struggle to pay bills, suppliers lose revenue
“No one doesn’t want to pay their water bill, but look at the jobless rate during the pandemic. Look at the unemployment rate that just in the last couple of weeks spiked. People are hurting.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
Sen. Dodd Introduces Water Access Equity Bills
"We’re proud to work alongside Sen. Dodd and our community partners on solutions to this crisis that will prevent mass water shutoffs in low-income communities and truly make water affordable once and for all.”
Susana De Anda, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Community Water Center
California households owe $1bn in water bills as affordability crisis worsens
“If we do not act, California will soon experience a drinking water catastrophe of devastating proportions.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
Clean water plans need more public involvement, activists say
"Our fear is that these plans are going to reflect drinking water solutions that benefit the pocketbooks of polluters, not meet the needs of communities impacted by nitrate pollution.”
Debi Ores, Senior Attorney, Community Water Center
California Households Owe $1 Billion in Water-Bill Debt
“This is unequivocally a matter of environmental justice and racial justice.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
California, Facing $1 Billion Unpaid Water Fees, Isn’t Alone
“This is a national crisis.The entire country faces this tidal wave of water debt.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
Kamala Harris says California’s water crisis is a racial injustice. Will she champion equity?
“Will Harris be a champion for water justice?’ I think that’s the question? She certainly understands it, and she has an opportunity to be a champion for water justice.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
Californians owe $1 billion in water bills, facing massive shutoffs. Is relief on the way?
“This is a racial justice issue. Water is basic PPE. If we do not act soon, 1.6 million households may soon experience a drinking water crisis in their homes.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
As Californians Rack Up $1 Billion in Water Debt, Advocates Fear Relief Could Come Too Late
“The very same communities that have already been hit hardest by this pandemic will also face the worst of this...crisis. This is really a basic matter of environmental justice and racial justice.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
'The most basic form of PPE’: 1.6 million households face water shutoffs
“Water to us is the most basic form of PPE.”
Jonathan Nelson, Policy Director, Community Water Center
See more CWC news coverage here.
New CWC Team Members
We are excited to introduce Erick Orellana as our new team member! Erick joined our Sacramento team this month as Policy Advocate. Welcome aboard, Erick!
Read more about Erick here.
We are excited to introduce Yessica Bravo as our new team member! Yessica joined our Visalia team this month as Community Advocacy Manager. Welcome aboard, Yessica!
Read more about Yessica 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, Benigna Hernandez, Bessma Mourad, Carly Yoshida, Cassie Morgan, Ellen Rowe, Esperanza Pimentel, F Thomas Biglione, Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Julia Emerson, Kathryn Gilje, Kathryn Wuelfing, Kavita Vora, Kelsey Hinton, Klara East, Kristin Dobbin, Lara Cushing, Leonard Sklar, Paul Pierce, Sandra Hocker, Sandra Rose, Stephen Gasteyer, Vicki Woods, and Victoria Klug
And thank you to our generous donors for January!
Alex Chen & Kate Kerkering; Alf Brandt; Bessma Mourad; Dale Schroedel & Lisa Honig; Daniel Serrano; David Chatfield; Donald Zimmerman; Eduardo Antunez; EKI Environment & Water Inc.; Grant Dunaway; Iris Biblowitz; James Potter; Jennifer Clary; Jenny Rempel; Jill Ratner; Kal Mourad; Kristie Eglsaer; Laura Schewel; Mae Soluri Meserve, A Law Corporation; Marlene Dehlinger; Max Gomberg; Natalie Barefoot; Peter Vorster; Robert Finkelstein; Roger Bales; Ryanna Fossum; Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP; Singing Field Foundation; and Thomas Harmon
If you would like to donate to CWC, please click here!
