Less than three weeks from now, Yuba County voters will choose whether to support or oppose Proposition 1, “The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014.” If passed, this $7.5 billion bond would provide funding to assist local agencies throughout California to upgrade their water systems for the benefit of cities, farms and the environment.

This November, California voters will head to the polls tasked with deciding their state’s water future. Proposition 1 – the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014–-is a $7.5 billion general obligation bond measure placed on the ballot with a near-unanimous, bipartisan vote by the legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that, if approved, will fund investments in water projects and programs as part of a statewide, comprehensive water plan for California.

Two Butte County leaders and farmers expressed the strong support in Northern California for Proposition 1. Bryce Lundberg, the Chair of the Northern California Water Association, and Jamie Johansonn, the Second Vice President of the California Farm Bureau Federation and former Oroville City Councilman, presented an open letter in the Chico Enterprise Record on October 19 explaining why Proposition 1 deserves our support.

While water, or the lack of it, has been a hot topic across the region, the Metro Chamber has been playing an important role in policy discussions to protect our water supplies, create solutions to address the current challenges and avoid future water crises.