Costa, Harder, Garamendi Introduce Legislation to Address Central Valley Water Needs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Josh Harder (CA-09), and John Garamendi (CA-08) introduced the Securing Access for the Central Valley and Enhancing (SAVE) Water Resources Act, which would take a wraparound approach to address water issues in the Central Valley by increasing storage opportunities, spurring innovation, and making long-overdue investments in our aging water infrastructure.

“Recent extreme drought has left no part of California untouched, posing significant challenges for farmers and communities,” said Rep. Costa. “The heavy rain and floods California received this year further demonstrate the importance of efficient water management. This bill will help increase water storage and spur innovation to ensure all communities have access to a sustainable water supply.”

"Water is our most precious resource in the Valley and we must do everything we can to protect it and end the cycle of flooding and extreme drought,” said Rep. Harder. “Pitting us against each other to fight over water isn’t the answer. We need to invest in our water infrastructure so that when we see historic rain like earlier this year, it can be stored for later use instead of flooding our families’ living rooms.”

“Meeting California’s current and future water needs should be a priority for every member of our Congressional delegation, Republican or Democrat,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am pleased to cosponsor Congressman Harder’s commonsense bill again this year, which puts real solutions on the table to help modernize our state’s aging water infrastructure. The climate crisis demands that we act now to secure the water supply necessary to meet California’s growing needs. I call on Speaker McCarthy, Governor Newsom, and the rest of my Congressional colleagues from California to join us in getting serious about reform.”

Specifically, the SAVE Water Resources Act would:

INCREASE WATER STORAGE

• Provide $250 million in storage funding and expedite a record of the decision to move forward on the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Phase II Project, bringing an additional 115,000 acre-feet of water storage to the Valley.

• Helps farmers prepare for SGMA by leveraging federal resources to identify prime locations for groundwater storage and recharge in California.

UPGRADE AGING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 

• Establish a water infrastructure and drought solutions fund to provide $750 million for water surface and groundwater storage, water reclamation and reuse, and WaterSMART program projects.

• Reauthorize the Rural Water Supply Act, which requires the Bureau of Reclamation to work with rural communities to improve access to safe and clean sources of drinking water.

SPUR INNOVATION

• Create an innovative financing program that would provide low-interest federal loans to fund local water infrastructure projects.

• Invest in water reuse and recycling by increasing funding for WaterSMART programs from $50 million to $500 million and extending the program's authorization.