U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla rolled out two new water bills aimed at easing the state’s growing climate-driven water shortages and making water supplies more dependable across the state. The Making Our Communities Resilient through Enhancing Water for Agriculture, Technology, the Environment, and Residences Act — the MORE WATER Act — and the Growing Resilient Operations from Water Savings and Municipal-Agricultural Reciprocally-beneficial Transactions, — the GROW SMART Act — have drawn strong backing from regional water agencies, which praised the measures as important steps toward improving water reliability and affordability throughout the Golden State.

Other water legislation news:

• E&E News by Politico: Padilla bills aim to renew California water supplies
• The Desert Review (Brawley, Calif.): Senator Padilla introduces bills targeting California water supply challenges
• Office of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla: News release: Padilla, Calvert introduce bipartisan bill to support the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
• Western Water Rewind: Changes loom for innovative lower Colorado River endangered species program amid drought, new river rules