Gov. Jerry Brown and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins rallied bipartisan support Wednesday for Proposition 1 — the $7.5 billion state water bond on the Nov. 4 ballot — during a visit to the San Diego County Water Authority headquarters.
“Nothing is more fundamental than water,” Brown said. “We have to pull together and use our technology and wealth.”
The governor was backed by Water Authority Board Chair Mark Weston, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and a large group of state legislators from both parties, including Sen. Joel Anderson, Sen. Marty Block, Sen. Ben Hueso, Assemblymember Rocky Chavez, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, Assemblymember Marie Waldron and Assemblymember Shirley Weber.
Proposition 1 would provide money for water-use efficiency and recycling, groundwater cleanup and management, as well as $2.7 billion for additional water storage. It also would invest in safe drinking water, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and provide for watershed restoration and increased flows in some of California’s most important rivers and streams, including the San Diego River.
“It’s an integrated water plan that takes care of all the different aspects of what’s needed to invest and recycle water,” Brown said.
The water authority board has unanimously endorsed the measure.
