Opinion: California lawmakers must act to stop water shutoffs
For many people, the new year means a fresh start. But for the million-plus California households with overdue water bills, Jan. 1 had a much less pleasant significance: the end of emergency water shutoff protections. Even though the pandemic is still raging, a state water shutoff ban ended on Dec. 31. Unfortunately, the billion dollars in this year’s budget meant to wipe out water debt won’t reach many families who need it. A lot of utilities are opting out of the voluntary debt relief program, leaving customers in a lurch.
-Written by Uriel Saldivar, a senior policy associate at Community Water Center; and Nydia Medina, an AGUA Coalition member and community activist organizing for safe water solutions in Orosi.