Regional Water Authority Board Announces Support for Proposition 4, Highlighting Groundwater Recharge and Climate Resilience
SACRAMENTO—The Regional Water Authority (RWA) Board of Directors, representing nearly two dozen water providers serving 2.2 million people in the Sacramento region, has passed a resolution supporting Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024.
The $10 billion general obligation bond, appearing on the November 2024 ballot, is designed to fund a wide range of climate adaptation projects and programs essential to California’s water future. Specifically, the bond includes $386 million for groundwater management and recharge along with $100 million for watershed resilience—both essential components for the Sacramento region’s water supply resilience.
“Climate change poses the greatest threat to California’s water supplies,” said RWA Executive Director Jim Peifer. “Hotter, drier weather could reduce the state’s water supply by up to 10 percent by 2040. That’s a loss of 6 million to 9 million acre-feet annually, nearly as much as all the water used by cities across the state each year.”[1]
In addition, climate change will bring wetter conditions. Groundwater recharge projects funded by the bond will capture excess water during wet times and store it for future use, supporting efforts like the Sacramento Regional Water Bank. These projects are key to adapting to the extreme weather patterns driven by climate change, such as the swings between wet and dry seasons.
“Groundwater recharge is the most effective solution for addressing the scale of water loss we expect with climate change,” Peifer added. “It allows us to align water management with natural hydrology, helping to ensure that we can store water when it’s abundant for use it when it’s scarce.”
Groundwater storage is essential to the state’s future. California’s groundwater basins can hold up to 1 billion acre-feet of water—20 times more than all of its surface water reservoirs combined. With current infrastructure, the state has the potential to recharge over 13 million acre-feet of groundwater annually, with more than 2.5 million acre-feet already possible today.
By investing in projects that support climate adaptation, Proposition 4 will also improve wildfire prevention and air quality protections, contributing to a more resilient future for all Californians.
For more information about the RWA and its work to strengthen water security in the Sacramento region, please visit rwah2o.org.
The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is a joint powers authority representing nearly two dozen water providers serving 2.2 million people in the greater Sacramento region. Formed in 2001, its primary mission is to help its members protect and enhance the reliability, availability, affordability and quality of water resources. Learn more at rwah2o.org.
[1] https://resources.ca.gov/-/media/CNRA-Website/Files/Initiatives/Water-Resilience/CA-Water-Supply-Strategy.pdf
