Nov/Dec eNews: A year of community strength

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Dear Supporter, 

The year is coming to a close, and now is an important time to look back at what we have achieved as a movement. From key water legislation to groundwater protection and on-the-ground drinking water projects, we are pushing towards safe, clean, and affordable water for all.

Community leaders in front of California’s Capitol ready for advocacy in March.

Community leaders from the Central Valley and the Central Coast advocated with us to achieve the following legislative victories:

  • AB 805 (Arambula) - SWB: Wastewater Administrator Authority allowing communities like East Orosi to address failing wastewater systems. 

  • AB 2454 (Lee) - Tenant Rights: Well Testing giving tenants the right to have their domestic wells tested for contamination, and tap into key services like bottled water in areas where emergency programs exist.

  • AB 3090 (Maeinschien) - Wireless Emergency Notifications: Water Contamination alerting communities to drinking water contamination after a natural disaster through Wireless Emergency Alert notifications.

Looking forward, we are excited to work with new leadership in Orosi to move vital water projects forward in Northern Tulare County. Additionally with the approval of Prop 4, we will work closely with allies and the legislature to make sure $610 million reaches our communities to fund safe drinking water projects.

Stay tuned later this month as we share more wins from 2024 and what's to come next year!

 

Adelante,

Susana De Anda

Co-Founder and Executive Director


10 years of Sustainable Groundwater Management

CWC staff MJ Kushner and Tien Tran with our ally from Central California Environmental Justice Network, Angela Islas at SGMA’s 10 year celebration.

For 96% of people in the San Joaquin Valley, groundwater is their main water source for drinking, cooking, and household needs. This reality made the protection of groundwater vital to make sure this valuable resource is available for generations to come. The creation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was historic and community partners worked hard over the past decade to make sure groundwater management plans take their realities into account. 

In these first 10 years, we’ve seen the results of community advocacy in action:

  • The State Water Board placed the Tule and Tulare Sub Basins under probation. This means their groundwater sustainability plans must be updated to = protect groundwater for small farmworker communities. 

  • The Kaweah Sub Basin updated their sustainability plans to include better groundwater protections for small communities as a direct result of community advocacy.

With continued opportunities for collaboration and feedback, we know SGMA can be a strong tool in the fight for clean drinking water.


Join the movement this holiday season!

Community leaders and CWC staff in DC speaking with federal leaders on the importance of safe and affordable water access.

With a strong year for water justice we are getting ready to further our impact next year. Here is how you can join us!

  1. Become a monthly sustaining donor! Working to ensure all Californians have access to safe, clean and affordable water is a long-term commitment. By supporting CWC monthly with $10, $25, or $50 you allow us to work strategically, knowing that there is a consistent budget available for our work that can be adaptable to changing external factors.

We are able to acceptgifts of stock and donations fromdonor-advised funds! See more information here. If you have questions, please reach out to our communications@communitywatercenter.org.



CWC is Hiring

Do you have a passion for environmental and social justice? Are you looking for an opportunity to work alongside those on the frontlines of the movement for safe and affordable drinking water in California?

Community Water Center is hiring:

  • Community Solutions Coordinator - Visalia Office

    Primarily responsible for developing drinking water projects in underserved communities where residents do not have reliable access to safe and affordable drinking water.

More information on CWC Careers here!


Welcome to the CWC Team!

Angie Gonzalez

Angie joined CWC in November 2024 as an Administrative Assistant, where she helps with clerical and program support across the organization’s three offices. Born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley, Angie now lives in Visalia, California. 

Angie is currently working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting from Western Governors University. Before joining CWC, she worked at Ace Hardware as a Customer Service Representative and a Customer Service Liaison for all Emery Jensen stores in California. Angie also has experience in property management and has worked with several programs that help provide affordable housing, such as Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Housing Authority of Tulare County, and Housing Support Services through CSET.

Angie cares deeply about issues related to housing and water rights, especially how they affect communities in the San Joaquin Valley. She is excited to be part of CWC and to help address these important issues.

Hilda Caballero-Garcia

Hilda joined Community Water Center in November 2024 as a Federal Policy Intern focusing on researching the impacts of federal funding and policy decisions on CWC’s local and state-level work.

Raised in Stockton, California, Hilda is a first year at the University of California Davis, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Public Service. She has experience in government and non-profit sectors, interning for her local district congressman and working as a Youth Advocate and Youth Organizer for the nonprofit Little Manila Rising, focusing on environmental justice issues impacting marginalized communities of color.

She likes to crochet, play board games, and read webcomics in her free time.

Jahari Garcia

Prior to joining the Community Water Center, Jahari interned in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for an attorney and political activist Florencia Gomez, researching indigenous land rights and practices. Jahari also worked at Barrios Unidos, focusing on prison reform and connecting individuals to essential resources. Additionally, she interned for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Washington, D.C., researching the largest environmental issues affecting Hispanic communities, such as water access, water quality, and food quality. These experiences have deepened her commitment to environmental justice and led her to CWC.

Some of her hobbies include running, hiking, and playing with her dogs.

Vida Sanchez

Vida Sanchez (she/they/ella) joined CWC in November 2024 as a Community Solutions Fellow. 

Prior to joining CWC, Vida helped coordinate a citizen science pilot study with the Environmental Coalition for Water and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center to provide free well water quality testing and reports to domestic well users in the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills.

Vida earned her Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from UC Davis and her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from UC Berkeley.


CWC Is Hiring:

Do you have a passion for environmental and social justice? Are you looking for an opportunity to work alongside those on the frontlines of the movement for safe and affordable drinking water in California?

Community Water Center is hiring:

  • Community Solutions Coordinator - Visalia Office

    Primarily responsible for developing drinking water projects in underserved communities where residents do not have reliable access to safe and affordable drinking water.

  • Engineering Project Manager (Drinking Water) - Watsonville Office

    Responsible for managing all activities concerned with implementing one to two large drinking water infrastructure projects from planning to completion.

  • Communications Intern - Visalia or Sacramento Office

    Help serve as a resource for information and a center of expertise on community water challenges through social media, the website, and media.

More information on CWC Careers here!


Community Resources

Guide to Community Drinking Water Advocacy 

Visit the Guide to Community Drinking Water Advocacy to find information about your water supply and quality, potential threats to groundwater quality, and how to get involved in local groundwater management decisions among other great information. Visit the guide here!


Thank you to our Generous Donors!

A huge thank you to our sustaining monthly donors! Your ongoing commitment to water justice ensures everyone will have access to safe, clean and affordable drinking water.

Bessma Mourad, Bob Simone, Carly Yoshida, Claire Sarraille, Claire Wilkens, Elizabeth Callaway, F Thomas Biglione, Jonathan Nelson, Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Kat Gilje, Kelsey Hinton, Kirk Demartini, Kristin Dobbin, Lauren Gordon, Max Meyer, Natalie Garcia-Grazier, Temma Kaplan, Tori Klug, Kelsey Hinton, Lauren Gordon

Be a water champion and support safe water for all.

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October eNews: Are you voting for water justice?