CMUA Endorses COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Principles for Our Water Future
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
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Section: CMUA News




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Williams, CMUA Communications Director, mwilliams@cmua.org, 916-326-5805




(Sacramento, Calif., April 8, 2020) — CMUA has joined more than 175 water utilities and advocacy organizations nationwide that support guiding principles emphasizing the importance of water utilities to their communities and the financial and operational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four guiding principles outlined in COVID-19 Relief and Recovery: Guiding Principles to Secure Our Water Future are ensuring water is reliable and affordable to all, strengthening water utilities of all sizes, closing the water access gap, and fueling economic recovery by investing in water systems.

Clean, affordable, and accessible water service is fundamental to public health, and the water systems that provide it cannot be taken for granted, the principles say.

“There is responsibility at every level of government — local, state, and federal — to make sure everyone has access to water. It is critical that the systems delivering this essential resource are strong enough to endure economic challenges in the short and long term, meeting the needs of all communities along the way,” the principles explain.

The CMUA Board of Governors on Tuesday, April 7, unanimously approved CMUA signing on to the principles document.

The principles were developed by the Water Foundation, which builds shared water solutions for communities, economy, and the environment across the American West, and the US Water Alliance, which includes more than 60 water utilities, including Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Valley Water.

“These principles are priorities and actions that will help community water systems in California continue to provide reliable, safe and affordable water during and after this public health crisis,” said Danielle Blacet-Hyden, CMUA deputy executive director.  “These commonsense proposals are a roadmap for addressing this important challenge.”

 
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The California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) represents more than 70 publicly owned electric utilities and water agencies statewide. Together, CMUA members provide water service to 70 percent of Californians and electric service to 25 percent of the state. For more information, visit https://www.cmua.org