• Policy Category: Drinking Water
• State: California
• Date Implemented: 7/24/2019

7/24/2019

Established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury to help water systems provide an adequate and affordable supply of water in both the near and long terms. The State Water Board administers the SADW Fund through its Division of Financial Assistance, the Division of Drinking Water implements the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Act. The bill, starting in fiscal year 2020-2021, would require 5% of the annual proceeds of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (up to $130 million) to be deposited into the SADW Fund. Funds will support local assistance to “fund grants, loans, contracts, or services to help water systems provide safe and affordable drinking water.” The bill guarantees funding for 10 years. SB 200 also established an advisory group to aid in meeting the purposes of the fund expenditure plan, with 19 appointed members representing public water systems, technical assistance providers, local agencies, nonprofits, residents from disadvantaged communities, state small water systems, and domestic wells, “the public”. According to the SAFER Policy Implementation Fact Sheet, three metrics will be used to measure the success of the Fund Expenditure Plan. 1) number of communities and schools served with interim sources of safe drinking water, 2) number of communities and schools that have preliminary planning assistance projects completed, and 3) number of communities and schools that have long-term solutions completed.  

• Action Agency(ies): State Water Resources Control Board, State Treasury
• Policy Champions: Community Water Center
• Read the full policy language