Tom Steyer, the San Francisco billionaire and environmentalist, promised his support Tuesday for a proposed safe and affordable drinking water fund to help communities with contaminated water in the San Joaquin Valley.
“It’s unjust for a million Californians to be exposed to unsafe water on a daily basis,” Steyer said.
According to the state, 36 public water systems serving more than 35,000 people in Fresno County are currently out of compliance for a range of contaminants, including arsenic and nitrates.
And of 306 communities across California that are out of compliance with primary safe drinking water standards, 154 are in the eight counties of the Valley.
The 154 water systems serve 218,000 people.
Lucy Hernandez, representing Agua Coalition y West Goshen, told Steyer: “In our community, we had three days and three nights without water because our well collapsed; and it was like the worst days of our lives.” In our community, we had three days and three nights without water because our well collapsed; and it was like the worst days of our lives.
During a news conference Tuesday, Steyer said in 2012 California declared that clean drinking water is a human right, but the state has not lived up to that pledge.
Clean drinking water is a justice issue, he said.
“People absolutely have a right to clean, safe drinking water.” Fresno has gained Steyer’s attention before.
And that’s why I say, as strange as it is, I think this is a very good time to be making that argument and to be making this fight for clean water for everybody.” As for his own political ambitions, Steyer has been rumored to have an eye on the governor’s race, but on Tuesday he laughed off a question about a run for the top state office.