(San Bernardino, CA, May 14, 2025) – Water reliability is a cornerstone of thriving communities. What most people know as the “Aqueduct” is officially called the State Water Project – a vast water infrastructure system that has been providing benefits for generations to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland, including the San Bernardino Valley. Today, Governor Gavin Newsom released his FY 2025-26 Budget May Revision, identifying the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) for permitting streamlining and highlighting it as a priority water project.
The DCP will complete the initial vision of the State Water Project to enhance the resiliency and reliability of this critical system. California’s interconnected economy relies on a healthy and functional State Water Project by supporting housing, agriculture, industry, jobs, and the environment. Regionally, the State Water Project provides 26% of the water supplied by water retailers within San Bernardino Valley’s 353 square mile service area.
“We commend Governor Newsom for taking action today by supporting key water infrastructure that will increase water supply reliability. Plain and simple, we need the Delta Conveyance Project,” said Heather Dyer, CEO/ General Manager of San Bernardino Valley. “We are benefitting from the visionary infrastructure investments of the past, and now is the time to take the next step forward. Failure is not an option.”
The Delta Conveyance Project is needed to stay ahead of the changing hydrologic conditions and water instability. It will protect against future water supply losses caused by climate change, sea level rise, and earthquakes.
“The State Water Project represents a forward-thinking investment in water supply reliability that maintains ample, safe water supplies for our children, grandchildren and beyond,” said Board President T. Milford Harrison.
Costs increase over time, and the Governor’s call for streamlining this project will increase the project’s cost effectiveness and timeliness of benefits to our region. As a public agency serving primarily disadvantaged communities, San Bernardino Valley takes great care to be mindful of how taxpayer dollars collected for the State Water Project are used. The DCP has been in the planning and preparation stage for decades, and Governor Newsom’s May Revise sets the stage for the next step in our water supply reliability and resiliency.
For more information about San Bernardino Valley and the Delta Conveyance Project, please visit www.sbvmwd.com.
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About San Bernardino Valley
Since 1954, San Bernardino Valley has served as a regional water agency in southwestern San Bernardino and a small portion of Riverside Counties to a population of approximately 714,000. With a dedicated team of experts and partnerships, San Bernardino Valley is committed to building a resilient and sustainable water future for the region’s people and the environment. San Bernardino Valley is governed by an elected 5-member Board of Directors and is one of the 17 participating agencies in the Delta Conveyance Project.
