October 13, 2017
Randi Fiorini, Chair
Delta Stewardship Council
980 Ninth Street, Ste. 1500
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Chair Fiorini,
On behalf of Inland Action, I am writing to express strong support for California WaterFix. Inland Action is a non-profit organization of business and community leaders dedicated to the economic and community betterment of the Southern California region. We must move this project forward to protect our water supply.
Water is essential to our physical health and well-being – it’s our lifeblood and a fundamental need. While Southern Californians have the right to a clean, reliable and affordable water supply, the delivery system moving water to our region is old, vulnerable and in desperate need of improvement.
More than 30 percent of Southern California’s water supply comes from the Sierra Nevada mountains. Melted snow from these mountains provides the backbone water supply – along with good jobs and quality of life – for millions of people. With our largest and most affordable supply at risk, we need the reliability that California WaterFix will provide.
The project will modernize the State Water Project delivery system to ensure high-quality water from the Sierra Nevada mountains will continue to be delivered to Southern California for generations to come; while at the same time creating nearly 100,000 jobs and protecting the Southland’s trillion-dollar economy. What’s more, for ratepayers in Southern California, WaterFix is the most affordable solution.
We’re not alone in our support. There is strong backing for California WaterFix in the region. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Southern California voters support the project, according to results released from a 2017 public opinion survey commissioned by the Southern California Water Coalition. Bottom line, California WaterFix is critical to ensure the safety, reliability and affordability of our state’s water supply.
We urge the Delta Stewardship Council to take action that supports the determination by DWR that California WaterFix is consistent with the Delta Plan, a step that will advance the important work of securing clean, reliable, affordable water for our people and our businesses.
Sincerely,
Carole Beswick, CEO