California lawmakers pass historic water package

By Steve Wiegand
McClatchy Newspapers

(The Sacramento Bee)  It took long months of delicate negotiations – and the last-minute deletion of a project dear to the heart of the state’s most powerful legislator – for California lawmakers to craft what could turn out to be one of the most pivotal water deals in state history.

Now comes the hard part:

The plan’s proponents must convince a debt-weary, politician-leery electorate that it’s a deal worth what could be a $25 billion-plus price tag by the time it’s paid.

“We’re done with part one,” Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, DLos Angeles, said Wednesday. “Part two is we need to take the message out (of Sacramento) … first and foremost we have to begin by educating voters about water.”

Bass’ remarks came a few hours after legislators had staggered through an all-night session that ended with bipartisan support for a five-bill package of reforms to California’s antiquated water system.

The bills were sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who effusively praised them.

“This is without any doubt the most comprehensive water infrastructure package … in the history of California,” the governor said.

The package’s pieces range from new ways of protecting the fragile ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to keeping track of how much water is being pumped from California’s underground sources.

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