California: Widespread support for Governor’s proposal to fast-track water infrastructure
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May 19, 2025

Widespread support for Governor's proposal to fast-track water infrastructure

SACRAMENTO— Last week, the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) Board of Directors joined the growing list of supporters from across California praising Governor Newsom's legislative proposals to fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project, a critical water infrastructure and climate adaptation project.

At a special meeting, the DCA Board voted unanimously to support the legislative effort and provide formal letters of support to Governor Newsom.

Martin Milobar, President, Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority Board of Directors: "I want to thank Governor Newsom for his continued leadership in prioritizing California's water future. We know better than anyone the importance of the Delta Conveyance Project – it's a long-overdue investment in modernizing how we move and manage water in California and ensures our water agencies continue to serve communities with safe, affordable water. His proposal to streamline the regulatory framework to help advance the Delta Conveyance Project reflects the kind of solution-oriented approach we need to protect our state's most critical infrastructure. As Board President, I support efforts to move this project forward and am proud to stand behind the direction outlined by the Governor. This is about protecting California's water supply, now and into the future."

Graham Bradner, Executive Director, Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority: "We appreciate the Governor's leadership in recognizing both the urgency of the Delta Conveyance Project and the opportunity to modernize how we move critical infrastructure forward in the face of climate change, seismic risk, and growing water demands. The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority is ready to deliver. Our team is prepared to implement this project responsibly, transparently, and in close coordination with the Department of Water Resources, our public water agency partners, and stakeholders throughout the state. These proposed reforms are expected to save years of delay and potentially billions in costs by removing unnecessary hurdles and accelerating project delivery. We stand ready and offer our strong support to the Governor's forward-thinking approach."

The project is receiving widespread support from leaders throughout the state. Here's what they are saying:

Water agencies and leaders

Jennifer Pierre, General Manager, State Water Contractors: "Governor Newsom's proposal marks a critical step in reducing barriers to innovation while creating efficiencies that will save time and billions of dollars as construction of the DCP moves forward."

Deven Upadhyay, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California General Manager: "The governor's proposal will expedite planning of the Delta Conveyance Project by removing costly, time-consuming and unnecessary administrative hurdles and uncertainties that are preventing a final decision on the project. Metropolitan's board committed to fund the final phase of DCP planning last December. Today's proposal should allow our board to consider whether to make a long-term investment in the DCP without delay, alongside consideration of other strategies to ensure Southern California has reliable and affordable water amid a changing climate."

Darin Kasamoto, General Manager, San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District: "Our region depends heavily on water supplies from the State Water Project to meet daily needs and support our economy, but that supply is only as dependable as the infrastructure that delivers it. By removing costly delays and speeding up permitting, this proposal ensures we can modernize our water delivery system before climate impacts outpace our ability to respond."

Valerie Pryor, Zone 7 Water Agency General Manager: "The State Water Project is vital to our community as it provides 70% of the water supply used to enhance the quality of life, economic vitality and environmental health to our region. We welcome this innovative approach to streamlining the approval process."

Adnan Anabtawi, General Manager, Mojave Water Agency (MWA): "This project supports the investments we have already made in imported water, making its delivery to our region more resilient."

Tony Estremera, Valley Water Board Chair: "We appreciate Governor Newsom's strong support of the Delta Conveyance Project and his efforts to move it forward. About 40% of Santa Clara County's water comes through the Delta, and climate change is putting that supply at risk. The Delta Conveyance Project would help the State Water Project adapt to changing conditions, making this water supply more reliable for our community and all of California."

Palmdale Water District (PWD) General Manager Dennis D. LaMoreaux: "Palmdale relies on the State Water Project for over half of our annual water supply – a critical source that supplements our limited local groundwater and surface water. Without this water supply, we would be unable to meet the needs of our growing community, particularly during extended drought periods that strain our regional resources. Streamlining review and expediting the Delta Conveyance Project is a smart, forward-looking step to secure California's water future."

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Metropolitan Water District of Southern California General Manager Deven Upadhyay: "The governor's proposal will expedite planning of the Delta Conveyance Project by removing costly, time-consuming and unnecessary administrative hurdles and uncertainties that are preventing a final decision on the project. Metropolitan's board committed to fund the final phase of DCP planning last December. Today's proposal should allow our board to consider whether to make a long-term investment in the DCP without delay, alongside consideration of other strategies to ensure Southern California has reliable and affordable water amid a changing climate."

Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) Assistant General Manager Robert Cheng: "Actions by the Governor to reduce project delays and deliver the Delta Conveyance Project are timely and prudent. California's primary water delivery system – the State Water Project – must be modernized to help secure California's water future."

Martin Milobar, Director for Kern County Water Agency and Chair for the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority: "The State Water Project is fundamental infrastructure for the economy of Kern County and the food supply for the nation. Implementing processes that reduce costs while moving the Delta Conveyance Project forward is critical to maintaining a thriving agricultural industry in California. We cannot afford any more costly and unnecessary delays."

Maria Gutzeit, Board President, Santa Clarita Valley Water Board of Directors: "For decades, the Delta Conveyance Project has faced unnecessary red tape and lengthy, avoidable delays. The State Water Project provides critical water supplies to the Santa Clarita Valley, but it is clear that it must be modernized to ensure long-term reliability. We support Governor Newsom's proposal to create efficiencies that will bring this important project closer to delivery and eliminate costly delays that are ultimately shouldered by ratepayers."

Judy C. Huang, Alameda County Water District Board President: "The Governor's proposal to streamline the Delta Conveyance Project is significant to advancing the project's path forward. The State Water Project is an important part of ACWD's water delivery system, serving 348,000 customers in the Tri-Cities and vital to millions of Californians. "

Paul Ortega, Board President, Desert Water Agency: "The Delta Conveyance Project is key to securing a resilient, reliable water supply for California's future. Ensuring the timely delivery of this important infrastructure will make our desert community and regions across the state more sustainable and protect our state's primary water supply from the impacts of climate change and disruptions from earthquakes or levee failures."

Charley Wilson, Executive Director, Southern California Water Coalition: "The science is clear: the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water is declining, while demand continues to rise. Southern California stands to lose up to 10% of our water supply from the State Water Project if we don't act now. The Delta Conveyance Project is our best path to offsetting those losses."

Community leaders

Jennifer Barrera, President & CEO, California Chamber of Commerce: "Modernizing California's water supply is not only vital to our economy but also long overdue. We appreciate the Governor's proposal to both remove barriers to innovation while protecting the environment and meeting both regulatory and operational requirements."

Jon Switalski, Executive Director of Rebuild SoCal Partnership: "This legislation is exactly the kind of forward-thinking leadership California needs to secure its water future. For too long, critical infrastructure projects like the Delta Conveyance Project have been stalled by red tape and frivolous delay tactics. This bill takes decisive, measured steps to modernize the water infrastructure millions of Californians rely on every day."

Rick Callender, President, California Hawaii State Conference NAACP: "As climate change casts a shadow of uncertainty, this question of affordability balanced with reliability looms squarely over the shoulders of disadvantaged communities who suffer a historic and disproportionate share of economic, health, and environmental burdens. By moving the Delta Conveyance Project forward, California is making a commitment to protecting the State Water Project and the communities that rely on this system for their water. We applaud the Governor for moving this project forward."

Joe Cruz, Executive Director of the California State Council of Laborers: "California has established itself as a worldwide leader due in large part to its investments in massive infrastructure projects. [This] announcement by Governor Newsom is a commitment to the working people of California – that we will make it easier to build projects that maintain California's place as a global leader while also creating thousands of well-paying union jobs."

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Jim Wunderman, President & CEO, Bay Area Council: "We won't let California's future be held hostage by delay and dysfunction. This legislation reflects our values and our urgency. We must act today to protect the water supply of tomorrow."

Jeffrey Ball, President & CEO of Orange County Business Council: "[This] announcement to help speed up the construction of the Delta Conveyance Project is a massive benefit to helping guarantee water security in our region."

Heather Dyer, CEO and General Manager of San Bernardino Valley: "We commend Governor Newsom for taking action today by supporting key water infrastructure that will increase water supply reliability. Plain and simple, we need the Delta Conveyance Project. We are benefitting from the visionary infrastructure investments of the past, and now is the time to take the next step forward. Failure is not an option."

Protecting California's water supply

California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, threatening the water supply for millions of Californians — and the reliability of the State Water Project could be reduced as much as 23 percent.  Extreme weather whiplash will result in more intense swings between droughts and floods – California's 60-year-old water infrastructure is not built for these climate impacts.

The Delta Conveyance Project will help offset and recover these future climate-driven water losses, and yet, it has been plagued by delays and red tape.

The Delta Conveyance Project would expand the state's ability to improve water supply reliability, while also maintaining fishery and water quality protections. During atmospheric rivers last year, the Delta Conveyance Project could have captured enough water for 9.8 million people's yearly usage.

The Governor has advanced efforts to move the DCP forward, including certifying a final environmental impact report in December 2023 and securing financial support from water agencies throughout the state serving a majority of Californians. And while the project has received some necessary permits, its path forward is burdened by complicated regulatory frameworks and bureaucratic delays. The Governor is proposing to streamline and strengthen the project's path forward, to protect the state's water supply for future generations.

The importance of protecting the reliability of the State Water Project is too great to allow the Delta Conveyance Project to be mired by unnecessary delays.

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