A critical water bond initiative called “The Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018” is a citizen’s initiative water bond that will appear on the November 2018 statewide California ballot.

If passed, $35 million has been earmarked specifically for Borrego Springs that will significantly offset (and perhaps eliminate) local costs of implementation of our Groundwater Sustainability Plan that will go into effect in January 2020 and continue until 2040. The total marketing effort throughout the state is expected to be about $4 million, and Borregans are being asked to contribute $100 thousand.

Our local agricultural and recreation sectors previously raised $100 thousand ($50K each) to get enough qualified signatures for the ballot initiative, and now Borregans are being asked to contribute an additional $100K towards a successful marketing campaign.

According to the initiative, the bond will invest $8.877 billion dollars in California water infrastructure: Safe drinking water, Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGMA) implementation, watershed restoration, fish and wildlife habitat conservation, infrastructure repair, and many other important water management programs.

Economic benefits specific to Borrego, according to the bond summaries, come in general form of “better groundwater management, including faster implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, and better recognition of the connection between surface and groundwater.”

More specifically, advantageous to Borrego Springs is a $35 Million allocation under the Act due to our designation as a Severely Disadvantaged Community (SDAC). Because of our SDAC status, the law requires that “At least 10% of all grants must go to groundwater basins who underlie disadvantaged communities.”

These earmarked funds will go to help offset (or elminate) costs of our GSP implementation, and better understand and stabilize the groundwater under Borrego Valley, as well as the surrounding state park. “No cost sharing is required” under the SDAC provision of the Act.

The water bond is endorsed by: the Anza-Borrego Foundation, the Borrego Chamber of Commerce and California Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Fund, state-wide agricultural businesses and water agencies, labor organizations, and prominent private individuals. San Diego-region members of Congress are not on the endorsement list as of this date.

Donations by credit card or electronic check can be made online at: https://donate.democracyengine.com/Californianscleanwater/contribute.