Californians: Protect Your State's Water
Californians, demand better monitoring of current water withdrawals.
As California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger promotes a pro–privatization agenda through several recent pieces of legislation, Californians have the opportunity demand better monitoring of current water withdrawals.
Assembly Bills 1261, 1756, and 1850 would all promote the privatization of public infrastructure — including water and wastewater treatment facilities — in the Golden State. AB 1261 would extend the maximum period for a privatization contract from 35 years to 50 years –– an extension that benefits corporations at taxpayers' expense. Even worse, AB 1756 would use taxpayer money to create a state office charged with promoting privatization deals between cities and corporations. Finally, AB 1850 would open up state-owned infrastructure for privatization.
As examples from across the country have shown, private contractors do not save taxpayers' money, and they compromise local, public control of water resources. In California, the cities of Fairfield and Petaluma recently reached the same conclusion and elected to end wastewater privatization deals in favor of public operation. Californians can call their state representatives and ask them to oppose these bills.
Meanwhile, Food & Water Watch is sponsoring Assembly Bill 2275, which would require bottled water companies to disclose the amount of water bottled at every facility in California. Click here to ask your representative to support this legislation.
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