October & November 2019 eNews

Si prefiere recibir nuestro boletín informativo en español, haga click aquí.

Dear Friend,

Now is an important time to get involved in protecting groundwater that many people rely on for their drinking water source. Many Groundwater Sustainability Agencies are releasing draft Groundwater Sustainability Plans and starting the public comment period. We continue to host community workshops throughout the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast to review the plans and to get your feedback on how you think groundwater should be managed, with a focus on how to protect community drinking water supplies. See below for more information! 

Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Adelante, 

Susana De Anda

CWC Co-Founder and Executive Director

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 22, 5-6 PM. Central Coast Comité Platica. Comité members will be sharing their experience working to secure bottled water delivery and next steps toward obtaining a long-term drinking water solution. All residents of the Bluff Rd., Jensen Rd, and Springfield Rd. area in north Monterey County are invited to this meeting to learn more about the efforts of the Comité. Please contact Cesar Garcia Lopez at (831) 288-0450 or cesar.garcia@communitywatercenter.orgwith any questions.

Spring 2020.The Water Project. A powerful collaboration between five departments, The Water Project integrates dance, choral music, animation, and projected imagery. The Water Project explores all things water: its sacred essence and beauty, its positive and destructive power, and humanity’s role in controlling and commodifying water. This performance addresses our strong reliance on water and the impending crisis that could impact life as we know it today. More infohere. 

Get Involved in Protecting Groundwater. Across the state, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have developed Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) that outline how to manage groundwater locally. GSAs will need to submit their plans to the state by January 2020 and the plans will have to go through a public comment period to get feedback from stakeholders like you. Through the end of the year, CWC will be hosting community workshops to review the draft Groundwater Sustainability Plans and to get YOUR feedback on how you think groundwater should be managed. We will be posting information about workshops on social media as well as in our calendar: https://www.communitywatercenter.org/events.

CWC in the news

Visalia Delta Times: Guest column: Poor Central Valley communities deserve safe, affordable water service. La Asociación de Gente Unida por el Agua (AGUA) and Protectores del Agua Subterránea (Protectores), representing over 30 communities around the Valley, made a public appeal to the State Water Board, which on Wednesday, Oct. 16 made a decision that will determine the quality of our water in the Central Valley for decades to come.

Valley Public Radio: Disadvantaged Communities Claim A Stake In State Groundwater Overhaul. Most of the homes in the community of Tombstone, about 40 or so, get their drinking water from shallow domestic wells, which can be vulnerable to both aquifer contaminants and falling groundwater levels. They’re hoping some solutions may lie with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). That’s why Torres Romo and a handful of her neighbors recently attended a community meeting on the law.

See the latest CWC news coverage here.

CWC PARTICIPATES IN PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA’S “PREPARING CALIFORNIA’S WATER SYSTEM FOR CLIMATE EXTREMES” EVENT

Earlier this month, Community Water Center had the opportunity to participate in the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Preparing California’s Water System for Climate Extremes event. Jonathan Nelson, CWC’s Policy Director, spoke on a panel before 800 people who attended online and in person, to talk about the progress we've made this year and how to successfully implement the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund (SB 200). Critical to successful implementation, is the continued inclusion of community member voices in the process. It will continue to be a priority at CWC to make sure the Fund is implemented in a way that meets the safe drinking water needs of impacted Californians. Thank you PPIC for hosting such an important event and providing a space to have these conversations! See a recording of the full eventhere.

DRINKING WATER ADVOCATES SHARE THEIR VISION FOR SUCCESSFUL  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER FUND

Over 20 organizations signed on in support to a letter sent to the State Water Board outlining the vision for a successful implementation of the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. 

The passage of the Fund represents the culmination of a half-century of advocacy from impacted communities and Community-Based Organizations in pursuit of a simple goal -- to secure every Californian’s basic human right to water. The Fund also brought together an unprecedented array of organizational partners that joined hands together with communities to achieve this historic victory. As we now look to the future, our organizations stand ready to do our part to work towards swift and equitable implementation of the Fund, and are committed to being collaborative and engaged partners throughout the entirety of this process. Read the letter here.

Do you want to join our team? CWC is Hiring!

Complete job descriptions and more information on how to apply, please visit: https://www.communitywatercenter.org/careers.

Current openings:

Communications Manager - Sacramento Office: The Communications Manager is primarily responsible for overseeing media relations, organizational communications (eblasts, web presence, social media), and supporting CWC’s fundraising efforts. The Communications Manager is a full-time position based out of our Sacramento office and will report to the Policy Director. This position will work closely with CWC’s Director of Strategic Partnerships and the Executive Director, as well as other CWC staff, community members, ally organizations and agencies, and various interns. If you have any questions, please contact to Christina Marquez, Administrative Assistant at christina.marquez@communitywatercenter.org