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November 8, 2007
Chamber Supports
Water Stability
The Corona Chamber of Commerce is urging its local
legislators to support a water bond on the February 2008
ballot. This is coming on the heels of an August court
decision limiting water outflow from the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta to protect endangered fish species. It is
coming at a time when the Delta, the central hub for the
state’s water, also needs upgrading to meet water
demands throughout the state.
“We applaud the Governor for calling the Legislature
into a special session this fall to solve our water
crisis,” stated Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Corona
Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee. “California’s
water infrastructure has endured water demand increases
and is now susceptible to disasters like earthquakes,
drought and other major catastrophes. It is time to
protect the future of our water supply,” continued
Schneider.
Over the past three decades, no significant new water
infrastructure has been built to keep up with our
growing times. The water supply needs to be protected in
order to safeguard the drinking water and how it’s being
delivered throughout California.
A water infrastructure bond should provide the funding
necessary to address the following critical issues:
Infrastructure Improvements in the Delta. The Delta
supplies drinking water for 25 million Californians,
hundreds of thousands of businesses and 750,000 acres of
farmland. The Delta, which is extremely susceptible to
natural disasters, is in desperate need of improvements
to ensure reliable transport of water throughout the
state. If there were an earthquake, for example, it is
estimated Delta water would be curtailed for two years,
choking all who depend on it. Immediate action and long
term improvements are needed now.
Build Additional Storage Facilities. Temperatures are
predicted to rise in the coming years, reducing the
state’s snow pack and water supply. We need to invest in
water storage facilities now to capture water and ensure
that we have available supply of safe, quality water in
dry years to meet the needs of residents, businesses,
agriculture and the environment.
Improve Water Quality. A clean, safe, reliable source of
drinking water is a necessity of life. Already, water
quality in the Central Valley has suffered because of
drought conditions and overdraft of underground
aquifers. Depleting supplies elsewhere in the state puts
other residents at risk not to mention planning for the
half a million new residents in California each year.
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