Endorsement: Yes on Proposition 1

Don’t be confused. Proposition 1 isn’t about the drought.

Instead, this proposition is designed to assist the state—and we’ve got chronic problems with water supply, storage and distribution—over the longer haul. It aims to improve our water-storage capacity by providing $2.7 billion for new water-storage construction and development. It also allocates funding to habitat preservation, flood protection and water systems.

Prop. 1 also makes a first step toward addressing our growing concerns about groundwater depletion and pollution by including funds to clean up and restore our limited supply of groundwater. Add to that a hefty provision for further development of water recycling, and Prop. 1 is a good start on the massive infrastructure work that needs to be done for our state’s water-storage and allocation system.

The bottom line—as we’re all learning from the drought: No matter how expensive the total projects included in Prop. 1 might seem—and we’d go even further—when balanced against the value of safe, accessible water, this is a good plan. We recommend a yes vote on Prop. 1.