April eNews: Big Water News Incoming!
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Dear Supporter,
Get ready to celebrate National Drinking Water Week - starting today Monday, May 5th! We are hosting a series of virtual events this week to highlight the importance of safe and affordable water for all. Take a look at our lineup and plan to join us:
Monday, May 5 at 12 pm PT virtual panel in English
With a special message from CalEPA Secretary Yana Garcia, Former Senator Bill Monning, State Water Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel, and Community Water Center’s Erick Orellana hold a conversation on the SAFER program. Register for the free virtual panel!
Monday, May 5 at 6 pm, The Flow of Justice Film
Join us as we showcase The Flow of Justice Film. The documentary touches on the passage of The Human Right to Water (2012) and the legacy of two AGUA Members, Sandra Meraz and Jesus Quevedo. This is a powerful, short documentary that you won’t want to miss. Register for the free virtual screening!
Wednesday, May 7 at 5 pm PT, virtual panel in Spanish
Susana De Anda will continue the SAFER conversation in Spanish with AGUA members: Ignacio Garcia, Silverio Perez and Maria Luisa Muñoz. Register for the free virtual panel!
It’s shaping up to be a powerful week so we hope you can join us for these important conversations from the comfort of your own home!
Legislation Moves Forward for Water Justice
Kyle Jones, CWC Policy & Legal Director, with allies during Water Week in Washington DC.
Every year, Water Week in April is the opportunity to advance key water policy priorities such as water affordability at a federal level with our allies in the Water Equity and Climate Resilience (WECR) Caucus. Discussions centered around the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) which offered assistance to help low-income households pay for their past due water and sewer bills. CWC met with water & wastewater utilities and about 20 California offices in DC, speaking on the pressing need to secure funding to keep the program running in the face of a rising cost of living.
At a state level, SB 350 made it out of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and will now be heard in appropriations. We will keep working with legislators to make water affordability a statewide realty. As for SAFER, we are communicating with decision makers the need to extend the program beyond 2030 and remove the artificial yearly funding cap. A program that works to create solutions needs to stay available for communities who need it the most.
Stay tuned to our socials as we keep highlighting the progress in our fight to advance the Human Right to Water!
Community Driven Progress in East Orosi
East Orosi residents provide feedback on proposed solutions to ensure timely action for their waste water issues.
The State Water Board visited the community of East Orosi to meet with the Tulare County Resource Management Agency (RMA) and local residents. For far too long East Orosi Community Services District has failed to operate its wastewater service leading to sewage backing up into households and serious billing discrepancies. The state now has the authority to intervene in the community’s wastewater problems with AB 805.
As the SWB navigates procedures, community feedback is key to make sure these processes place community needs and urgency at the forefront. Community residents appreciate receiving water bills in a transparent and timely manner, accessibility during quarterly meetings, and the County’s support in the drinking water consolidation effort under Tulare County RMA in their role of drinking water administrator. With this, the community is eager to see similar efforts with the RMA being appointed as the wastewater administrator, already seeing a difference in local administration.
We are closer to seeing East Orosi achieve safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation. At CWC, we will continue partnering with residents to ensure we move with urgency to realize their Human Right to Water.
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:
Part-Time Invoice Processing Assistant- Visalia Office
Essential role in keeping our billing data organized and supporting our contract invoicing process.
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.
Ann Dierks, Bessma Mourad, Bob Simone, Carly Yoshida, Claire Sarraille, Claire Wilkens, Elizabeth Callaway, F Thomas Biglione, Herbert G Cattanach, Jelle van Geuns, Jonathan Nelson, Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Kat Gilje, Kelsey Hinton, Kirk Demartini, Kjirste Morrell, Kristin Dobbin, Lauren Gordon, Lou Riordan, Margaret Ferguson, Margaret Pedersen, Max Gomberg, Max Meyer, Robert Kimberling, Sandi Matsumoto, Temma Kaplan, Tori Klug, Wendy Hoben
And thank you to our April donors!
Bryan Pilkington
Be a water champion and support safe water for all.
