Candidate for
Director; East Bay Municipal Utility District; Ward 3

http://www.young4ebmud.org/why

There is no resource more essential to life than clean water. With climate change, the occurrence of severe droughts like the one we are in now, are likely to increase in frequency and duration. Pressure to abandon environmental protections in the guise of adding water supply is growing stronger every day. Climate change is forcing every water utility in the nation to rethink and re-imagine what it means to provide adequate supplies of water for its many uses. At the same time, local and regional governments are faced with extraordinary financing challenges--to offer quality services at affordable rates while also fostering and maintaining a quality workforce. I'm running for EBMUD because the decisions that EBMUD makes in these areas over the next four years are critically important to our future.

Here in the East Bay we are blessed with some of the finest quality drinking water in the nation. It's because the source of our water, the Mokelumne River, comes from a protected watershed in the Sierra. With that blessing comes the responsibility of stewardship to continue the protection of that water quality, and a responsibility to use it in the most efficient and sustainable way possible. Our water board EBMUD will face significant challenges and choices in the coming years as climate change modifies rain and snowfall patterns, causes sea level rise, and changes our everyday lives. EBMUD also has a responsibility to do everything it can to reduce its contribution to global warming in myriad ways. I'm running because I want to be a part of charting that path.

Our ability to deliver reliable adequate supplies clean safe water also depends on our infrastructure. Our ability to respond to fires and earthquakes also depends on this. Much of EBMUD's 4000 miles of pipelines are reaching the end of their lifespan--main breaks are happening with greater frequency. At the pace we are on now, it will be 400 years before the last pipe in the ground today is replaced. The current proposal calls for a 100 year replacement schedule. We need to figure out how to achieve a 70 yr schedule. This is an enormous and important challenge, and it is also an opportunity to introduce climate smart approaches such as plumbing for recycled water in the same trenches where appropriate when lines are replaced. I'm running because we have to get this right.

If elected here's what I will do:

Keep water rates affordable for those who use water wisely and increase charges for those who use more than their fair share.

Increase investment in climate-smart infrastructure which creates new EBMUD & green collar jobs and strengthens the organization's fiscal health, while increasing our ability to provide the highest quality water at an affordable price with the least possible impact on the environment. Including:

• Replace our aging infrastructure
• Maximize water conservation, waste water recycling, stormwater capture, and greywater use.
• Increase our food waste to energy program.
• Help businesses and consumers address water related climate risks.

Promote environmentally sustainable storage programs such as conjunctive use of groundwater.

Oppose destructive and expensive water diversions like the Delta Tunnels.

Expand our water and climate education partnerships with schools in the service area, including engineering, water conservation, and increasing internships and apprenticeships with the District which will support expansion of green job opportunities in disadvantaged communities.

Position EBMUD as the national leader in climate-smart water wastewater management and watershed protection.