Friday, Sep 9 2011 1:00PM
A new bill was passed in California that aims to help improve the state's drinking water quality.
According to the Central Valley Business Times, new legislation was recently passed that will allow California to direct more funds toward improving the quality of drinking water in rural areas statewide.
The legislation, called Assembly Bill 983, was unanimously passed by the Senate. It was introduced by Assemblyman Henry Perea, who represents the Fresno district, and stated it would help disadvantaged communities get access to clean drinking water.
"Everyone deserves access to clean, safe drinking water," Perea said. "Many communities throughout the state and even here in the Central Valley struggle to pay for water infrastructure projects. AB 983 will give them a boost on their way to providing access to clean water — a basic human right."
The news source reports state grants for projects in disadvantaged areas, such as building new water infrastructure, are funded up to 80 percent of their total cost. However, the new bill would allow for entire projects' expenses to be paid for.
The United Nations recently released a report which detailed the extensive water issues facing California communities, including contaminated water and a lack of access to safe drinking water in many areas.