Water:• For the first time in our history, available water supplies and the necessary delivery system may not be able to meet our growing needs. • In the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta, a key link in the water system that serves most of California, there are 1100 miles of aging levees,
many built more than 100 years ago. They are deteriorating and at increasing risk of failure. • It is estimated that the population of California will be 50 million by 2032 and 60 million by 2050. • 75% of the precipitation in our state falls in Northern California; 75% of the demand for water is in Sothern California. • Our aging infrastructure will make it difficult to meet growing demands. We are using facilities built during the Cold War or before to meet 21st
century needs and no significant improvements have been made to those facilities in thirty years. • The systems upon which we rely greatly, the All American Canal, the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Colorado River Aqueduct were all
built in the early 20th century. • Historically, California is prone to long periods of drought. With changing weather patterns, out future is even more uncertain. • We must protect and conserve our local resources and explore options that will serve us in the future. We know there will be problems, but are we
actively preparing for the future; will we be ready?
The Water Board: • The public needs to have more access to and more knowledge of the board’s activities and plans. • Meeting should be held at a time when more citizens can attend. • Funds need to be spent sensibly and on the things that will serve the community best. • The expenses and salaries of the board members should be publicly accessible, but that information is not disclosed. • Full financial accounting should be available at any time. • Water rates are different in different parts of the city; we need to figure out why. • The competition is a privately held company, but are we really competing with them? • Water is relatively cheap now, so no one feels the need to address the issue.
Didn’t we once think that about gas prices?
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