Five years after its launch, the state of California’s landmark Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) drinking water program has made significant progress in advancing the human right to water. In the five years since the program was established, the State Water Resources Control Board has distributed more than $1 billion in grants to disadvantaged communities. During this time, the number of people served by failing water systems has fallen from 1.6 million to 700,000 – a net gain of 900,000 more Californians who now have safe and affordable drinking water. Read the press release. (7/22/24)