Citing the importance of stabilizing the state’s water supply in an era of drought and climate change as a public health priority, the California Nurses Association today announced its endorsement of Proposition 1, the Water Bond measure, on the November 4 ballot.

The measure would upon approval, enact general obligation bonds for state water supply infrastructure projects, such as public water system improvements, surface and groundwater storage, drinking water protection, water recycling and advanced water treatment technology, water supply management and conveyance, wastewater treatment, drought relief, emergency water supplies, and ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration.

“Access to a clean and adequate water supply is vital for public health,” said CNA Co-president Deborah Burger, RN. “Water is life sustaining, critical for drinking, for hygiene, for cleaning our food, clothes, and living spaces. Lack of adequate and steady supplies of water can lead to unsafe sanitation and the spread of infectious diseases and pandemics.”

“With the erosion of our water supply in the current drought – and the likelihood that more droughts, directly associated with the climate crisis – this becomes a critical issue for the future of all Californians. That’s why nurses are joining with Governor Brown and many state lawmakers and organizations in supporting Proposition 1,” Burger said.

CNA, the largest state organization of nurses with 86,000 California members, said that Proposition 1 will clean up our contaminated groundwater which serves as a critical buffer against drought by providing additional water in years when there is not enough rainfall or snow.

Proposition 1 provides funding for clean drinking water in communities where water is contaminated and will invest in new water storage increasing the amount of water that can be stored during wet years for the dry years sure to come, said CNA. Proposition 1 protects California’s rivers, lakes, and streams from pollution and contamination, which is also critical for public health,  and provides for the restoration of our fish and wildlife resources.

Thumbnail image credit: Andrew Kraker