Time to collect storm water, not dump it in sea

Californians have moved heaven and earth to get water to the state’s thirsty cities and farms. We pipe water through the nation’s longest aqueducts, store it in the tallest dams and pump it over mountains. But when it comes to the storm water that falls directly on our cities, we flush it out to sea.

For California, fresh off a historic drought and suddenly the de facto leader of U.S. climate policy, wasting any water is unacceptable. That’s why Senate Bill 231, by state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, is so important. The bill would correct a glitch in state law that forces storm water to be treated as waste rather than a vital resource. Correcting this mistake would empower communities to capture, treat and use storm water for the public good.

Wasting water delivered to our front doors is insane. Why is this happening?

The problem stems from Proposition 218, an otherwise positive taxpayer protection initiative approved by voters in 1996. Proposition 218 requires local fees to be approved by a public vote, with exceptions for essential services for “sewer, water, and refuse collection services.” These exceptions were specifically included to ensure basic services aren’t threatened by political squabbles. However, a 2002 court case undermined the long-standing definition of “sewer” service, stripping from it any relation to storm water management.

Consequently, it’s a lot easier for local agencies to propose and build projects delivering essential services, such as a sewer plant, than for storm water collection. SB231 simply reaffirms the original definition of what a “sewer” is, allowing local governments to finance storm water management projects the same way as drinking water, sewage and trash services.

This small change could greatly improve California’s drought preparedness and public health. For example, about 85 percent of the Los Angeles River watershed flows out to sea, polluting (and occasionally closing) some of California’s most famous beaches with toxic runoff. SB231 would empower cities to instead capture and clean that water and put it to good use. The Pacific Institute estimates that capturing storm water in Los Angeles and the Bay Area could together yield 630,000 acre-feet per year in new freshwater — more than Los Angeles’ annual water use.

Capturing and using this storm water is also essential for adapting California for climate change. The Department of Water Resources estimates that warming temperatures will reduce the Sierra snowpack, about a third of California’s water supply, by 48 to 65 percent by the end of this century.

With warmer temperatures, yesterday’s Sierra blizzard becomes tomorrow’s Modesto monsoon, overwhelming riverbanks and reservoirs and resulting in precious water flowing out to sea.

Water is California’s most valuable natural resource, and today we’re wasting an awful lot of it. SB231 is a small reform that could deliver a big push to making our water system more sustainable for future generations.

Opponents say this is about taking away voters’ rights or hitting property owners with hidden taxes. It’s not. It’s about common sense, and preparing for the future. The Senate passed the bill, and the Assembly should, too. California must be ready — for climate change and another drought.