Make Water Allocation Fair For All in the Bay Area

On September 30, 2010 the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) released the 2nd draft Interim Supply Allocations in which allocation of water in the Bay Area for the next 8 years is highly inequitable. In this current draft, low income and under-served communities will bear a disproportional burden because they will be allocated less water than their projected need.

In particular East Palo Alto is allocated only 58% of its projected water needs, as compared to more than 100% for other wealthier neighbourhoods. In order to meet their needs, East Palo Alto must purchase additional water from the SFPUC at a higher cost. It is time that this historic environmental injustice be reversed.

We support the 1st draft Interim Supply Allocations because it meets the environmental goals of water diversion while providing all communities with their projected needs. Specifically, the first draft allows East Palo Alto its projected need of 3.4 million gallons per day. We cannot support the 2nd draft because it will require East Palo Alto residents to pay additional fees, while simultaneously disincentivizing conservation in other communities by allocating them in excess of their projected needs. It does not acknowledge the environmental injustices that East Palo Alto has suffered and ignores East Palo Alto’s strong conservation efforts.

With one of the lowest average per capita annual incomes in the area, East Palo Alto residents should not be forced to shoulder yet another financial burden.