© 2024 KVPR | Valley Public Radio - White Ash Broadcasting, Inc. :: 89.3 Fresno / 89.1 Bakersfield
89.3 Fresno | 89.1 Bakersfield
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
76 new monthly members to go to reach our March goal! Start a new monthly gift today, or increase your existing monthly donation to help us reach the goal.

California Budget Proposal Would Move Clean Drinking Water Program

Valley Public Radio

California Governor Jerry Brown’s budget proposal would make a significant change to the state’s Safe Drinking Water Program.  Last year, the Department of Public Health came under fire for failing to spend almost a half billion dollars to provide drinking water to communities that need it.

Under Brown’s budget proposal, the State Water Resources Control Board would run the program in the future. Jennifer Clary, with Clean Water Action, says she’s glad the program will be taken from the Department of Public Health.

Clary: “There, the drinking water program was a program, within the division under an agency in a department so it was such a lot of red tape to go through to accomplish things that we just got discouraged.”

The proposal transfers $200 million and almost 300 positions. Brown’s budget says programs designed to protect drinking water are managed now by a number of agencies, a situation which reduces their effectiveness. 

Related Content