Drought Emergency Bill Is Sent to Governor
The Senate, on a unanimous vote, sent Gov. George Deukmejian legislation Friday that will give the governor broad emergency powers to develop water supplies if the third year of a drought occurs.
The legislation, approved 37 to 0, gives the Deukmejian Administration legislative and legal approval to draw up an emergency plan that would include steps necessary to get the state through a third dry year.
Among the powers would be the freedom to divert water from the state water project to drought-stricken areas that are not now customers of the project.
The legislation, drafted by Sen. Ruben S. Ayala (D-Chino), directs the Department of Water Resources to draw up the statewide emergency plan.
In addition to allowing communities to tap into the water project, other emergency steps that might be taken include giving financial assistance to local communities to help them develop water supplies, temporarily lowering health standards for drinking water, building new water pipelines and instituting water conservation measures.
Similar actions were taken during the 1977 drought, but Ayala said the legislation is needed as insurance against lawsuits that might be filed if the governor’s power to act is not clearly written into the law.
Ayala said the state is now in its second dry year and the emergency powers will not be necessary if California has a wet winter.
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