Gov. Jerry Brown, joined by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers in Sacramento, said Thursday he is seeking passage of a $1 billion legislative package that would help local communities deal with the ongoing severe drought.

Joining him in the announcement were two Democrats, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins; and two Republicans, Sen. Bob Huff and Asm. Kristin Olsen.

Brown said the legislation would expedite bond funding expected to make California more resilient to climate change and to assure residents of access to local water supplies.

“This unprecedented drought continues with no signs yet of letting up,” Brown said. “The programs funded by the actions announced today will provide direct relief to workers and communities most impacted by these historic dry conditions.”

The package, should it reach the governor’s desk, would provide more than $1 billion for local drought relief and projects to make the state’s water infrastructure more capable of handling extreme weather events.

The legislation would accelerate $128 million in expenditures from the governor’s budget to provide direct assistance to workers and communities impacted by drought and to implement the Water Action Plan, Brown said.

It would earmark $272 million in Proposition 1 Water Bond funding for safe drinking water and water recycling and speed up the spending of $660 million from Proposition 1E for flood protection in urban and rural areas, he said.

“Taken together, this package provides a major boost to our state’s efforts to manage the drought and strengthen our infrastructure,” de León said.

He said the governor’s proposal “shows how we as leaders can get things done when we all work together in common purpose.”
Atkins said, “The drought isn’t letting up, so we can’t let up either. This legislation will deliver relief to Californians harmed by the drought and help us manage the significant problems the drought continues to cause.”

She said government leaders’ responsibility to address the state’s lack of water is clear. “Making sure we meet emergency needs, prepare for short-term problems, and advance longer-term projects are an important part of that effort.”

Huff said he welcomed the invitation to participate in Brown’s announcement. “We were briefed on this proposal just this morning, and so far it sounds like a good approach,” he said.

“Republicans have consistently said that storage is essential for providing a reliable water source to all of California for future generations,” he said. “The Prop. 1 water bond that was passed last year is a critical step forward in meeting the needs for California’s future.”

He said, “There’s no question California’s drought crisis has worsened, as once again we’ve experienced a dry winter. With the hot summer months approaching, it’s incumbent on all Californians to be responsible with how they use water. It’s critical that we act now.”

Olsen said emergency drought relief is a start, with more needing to be done.

She called the legislation “an important Band-Aid. We must move beyond temporary fixes,” and added that for decades, projects designed to increase water supply have gotten tangled in governmental red tape. “I’m glad today we are making decisions that help people and look to us all to take real actions on long-term projects so emergency actions are no longer needed.”

Brown said the Sierra Nevada snowpack, on which Californians rely during summer for their water needs, is at a near-record low.

On March 3 the snowpack measured just nine-tenths of an inch of water content at one site, he said. That is 5 percent of the site’s historic average for that date’s measurement.

The overall water content for the Northern Sierra snowpack measured 4.4 inches, which is 16 percent of average for the date, the governor noted.

Central Sierra readings were 5.5 inches of water content, which is 20 percent of the historic average; and in the southern Sierra readings were 5 inches of water content, or 22 percent of the historic average.

Brown said only in 1991 had the water content of snow been lower.

Also taking action this week, the State Water Resources Control Board voted Tuesday to expand and extend an emergency regulation to prohibit certain types water use, such as washing down sidewalks. The board also created a minimum standard for outdoor irrigation restrictions by urban water suppliers.

So far since February, California has promised more than $870 million would be available to support drought relief, Brown said.

That money includes funding for food to workers directly impacted by the drought, for emergency drinking water supplies for drought-impacted communities and for bonds to pay for projects helping communities save water and make their water systems more resilient to drought.

Brown met in Sacramento last month with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, and the two announced that nearly $20 million in federal drought relief also would be available for California’s Central Valley Project.

The governor’s Drought Task Force, formed in December 2013, was told to manage water supplies, expand water conservation wherever possible and respond quickly to drought impacts throughout the state.

Beginning in 2014, Brown’s administration completed its Water Action Plan, designed to make the state more capable of withstanding both droughts and floods. At the same time the governor declared a drought state of emergency.

Last April he issued a statewide call for residents and agencies to do more in fighting the drought. Last fall he signed legislation changing some of his requests to mandates and putting the water bond before voters that won bipartisan approval in the Legislature; it was approved in the Nov. 4 election.

His executive order streamlined efforts to provide water to families hit hardest by extreme drought conditions through the California Disaster Assistance Act.

Brown continued to ask all Californians to reduce their water consumption by 20 percent and to prevent wasting of water, and reminded them they could visit http://saveourwater.com to learn additional ways to save water indoors, outside and at work.

Among its tips are to run dishwashers only when they are full, and to replace old ones with water-and energy-efficient machines, which can use less water than washing dishes by hand.

Other tips from the site:

• Those who hand-wash their dishes should use basins rather than washing and rinsing with running water. The same tip applies to washing fruits and vegetables.

• Composting food waste instead of running a garbage disposal also will save water.

• Keeping water in the refrigerator, cooking food in as little water as possible and recycling dropped ice cubes to water plants are known water-saving strategies.

• Low-flow shower heads and short showers will conserve water, and those taking baths should reduce the water they use and plug the tub as soon as they start running water.

• Aerators on bathroom and kitchen faucets also save water, and water should be off when people brush teeth or shave.

• High-efficiency and dual-flush toilets save water, and residents can check for leaks by putting food coloring in their tanks. If the color shows up in the bowl, it’s leaking and needs repair.

• Clothes washers also should be run only when fully loaded, and water-efficient machines can save 16 gallons a load. Using cold water saves energy and helps clothes keep their color.

• Since 50 percent or more of the water Californians consume is used outside, the site recommends watering plants during cooler hours, and checking and adjusting sprinklers to make sure only the landscaping is watered.

• The site recommends drip irrigation systems and watering deeply but infrequently to encourage stronger landscapes. Mulching conserves water, as does the use of drought-resistant trees and plants.

The site has a calculator that can help residents avoid overwatering their plants.

Residents should use brooms, not hoses, to clean driveways, sidewalks and patios, and those washing vehicles should use buckets, sponges and hoses with self-closing nozzles. Those who need to use water for an outdoor cleanup can still save by using a water broom.