Bill > SB746

This bill establishes two new drought relief programs within the Department of Water Resources: the Urban Water Community Drought Relief program and the Small Community Drought Relief program. These programs are designed to provide grants for immediate drought relief and related benefits, with a focus on addressing impacts to human health, safety, and water supplies. The programs can fund a variety of projects, including water delivery system improvements in high and very high fire hazard zones, emergency water supplies (like water tanks or bottled water), infrastructure construction (such as drilling wells or creating water interties), fish and wildlife protection, and water conservation activities. A key innovation is that the programs can support projects beyond direct drought relief, such as reducing wildfire risks by improving water systems in fire-prone communities. The bill includes legislative findings highlighting the devastating impacts of recent wildfires in California's rural communities and the need for state support to help local governments prepare for and mitigate fire risks. The Urban Water program targets communities served by urban water suppliers, while the Small Community program focuses on rural and smaller communities not served by urban water systems. The programs would be activated upon specific legislative appropriations, providing flexibility for targeted drought and fire prevention interventions.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB746