ANTIOCH, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – As California contends with climate change and an ongoing drought, Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a new strategy to dramatically increase the state's water supply.
For more, stream KCBS Radio now.
Newsom toured a desalination plant under construction in Antioch on Thursday, drinking some of its recycled water as he called for expanding the state's water supply by building more desalination plants, new reservoirs and rainwater capture facilities.
"There's plenty of water that flows through that just flows right out that we can reuse that is high-quality, safe and affordable," Newsom said.
Newsom said increased water storage will be critical if California is going to survive these historic drought conditions. His office released a 16-page plan on Thursday, directing state agencies to fast-track permitting and financial assistance to local water agencies to build these projects as fast as possible.
State water officials project that California could lose as much as 10% of its water supply by 2040, and the U.S. Drought Monitor said on Tuesday that nearly half of the state (45.8%) was experiencing extreme or exceptional drought.
As part of the plan, California will aim to double the amount of recycled water in the state by 2030 and seek to streamline the permitting and construction process for seven projects set to receive $2.7 billion in state funding under a 2014 bond measure.
"This is a plan that is forward-thinking, a plan that is game-changing," former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaragiosa, whom Newsom recently tapped to serve in a senior advisory role with the state's infrastructure, said in a press conference.
Many of the plan's included water projects are likely to face significant hurdles, or could be blocked outright, due to environmental regulations. For instance, the California Coastal Commission rejected in May a proposed desalination plant in Huntington Beach. Commission officials at the time warned against the project's denial setting a precedent for others.
"Denial of this project does not mean that we’re setting the stage for the denial of all desal facilities or other critical infrastructures across the state," Executive Director Jack Ainsworth said then. "Every project has a different set of circumstances, facts and context."
Newsom previously vowed to cut red tape and boost funding for local water agencies during the drought.
DOWNLOAD the Audacy App
SIGN UP and follow KCBS Radio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Related
