Newsom Reaffirms Support for Delta Conveyance Water Project

The California Department of Water Resources on Friday issued its Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Delta Conveyance Project to modernize water infrastructure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by creating an additional point of diversion along the Sacramento River coupled with conveyance facilities in the Delta. Simultaneous with the EIR’s release, Gov. Gavin Newsom reaffirmed his support for the $16-billion project.

“Climate change is threatening our access to clean drinking water, diminishing future supplies for millions of Californians – doing nothing is not an option,” said Newsom. “After the three driest years on record, we didn’t have the infrastructure to fully take advantage of an exceptionally wet year, which will become more and more critical as our weather whiplashes between extremes.

“This proposed project is essential to updating our water system for millions of Californians,” he continued. “This new approach, redesigned following community and environmental input, is how we can build a California of the future.”

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, also signaled support for the redesigned Delta Conveyance Project. “The recent drought was a powerful indicator of just how vulnerable the State Water Project is – deliveries were so low last year that some Southern California communities could only get a fraction of the water they normally rely on,” said Hagekhalil. “Preventing this from happening again will take bold action and a clear recognition of the challenges we face.”