Voting "yes" will ensure LA's water future is secure and sustainable, especially for underserved communities.

October 9, 2024

Bruce Reznik, Executive Director for LA Waterkeeper

Weather whiplash. Extreme precipitation and extreme fires. Drought to deluge. Whatever you want to call it, it’s clear to most Angelenos that climate change is real. Dramatic swings in precipitation and temperature in our region are more than just a theory. They are our new reality. 

This new truth makes plain why it behooves every Angeleno to vote “yes” on Proposition 4 (The Parks, Environment, Energy, and Water Bond Measure). Recent studies show that a changing climate could reduce key water sources by more than 20% in the years ahead. That is particularly concerning for Southern California residents, where we continue to count on unreliable water imports from the Sierras and the Colorado River. This bond will provide essential funding to help ensure LA’s water supplies are clean and sustainable.  

The funds unlocked through Prop 4 would allow the state to invest in science-driven approaches to make the most of every drop of water that falls. The bond is designed to leverage new technologies and best practices, amplify efforts to improve stormwater capture and groundwater recharge, and add desperately needed trees and greenspace in underserved communities across the LA Basin. 

LA County has some of the nation’s most park-poor communities, and many of our rivers and creeks have been channelized. All this hardscape contributes to a myriad of environmental and health impacts, including causing runoff pollution and creating conditions that lead to excessive heat.  

Prop 4 will make essential funding available to increase the resilience of low-income communities, including $450 million statewide for cooling centers, emergency shelters, and shade and urban green infrastructure to help areas that currently lack trees and parks to better manage the hotter days that have become more common. Prop 4 funds will also allow us to recharge groundwater, reduce the region’s carbon footprint, and improve air quality and health outcomes for our most vulnerable residents.   

Some of the bond’s $200 million set-aside for the reduction of climate impacts on disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations will be used to create, protect, improve, and expand outdoor parks and open-space lands, with an eye on expanding access for underserved areas. Some of these funds could potentially be used to further efforts along the LA River and elsewhere in the region where former industrial areas could be transformed to enhance recreational opportunities while meeting other water- and climate-resilience goals. 

Prop 4 includes resources to make it possible for the LA region to take advantage of more natural ways to improve flood control in the area. For example, the bond earmarks $80 million for LA River revitalization and parkway connectivity. These investments will move us one step closer to a healthy LA River that provides increased access to green space, habitat for wildlife, and flood protection by adding strategic places for water to slow down, spread out, and replenish aquifers rather than being rushed out to sea in a concrete-lined channel in times of high water. 

The measure dedicates a guaranteed $22 million for Ballona Wetlands restoration. These investments will improve water quality, provide important coastal wildlife habitat, and again allow nature to manage flood risk and reduce water pollution the way it used to before we built up this urban area. 

Voters and policymakers in LA County have already shown they understand that investing today to drought-proof our tomorrow is the right way forward. The Safe Clean Water Program (established through the voter-approved Measure W), Pure Water Southern California, and groundwater cleanup efforts in the San Fernando Valley are all examples of current and planned projects that will make LA’s water future more sustainable. But these initiatives are incredibly expensive. If Angelenos vote yes on Prop 4, new dedicated state funding for innovative infrastructure projects will be available to enhance the local investments we have already made. 

So much of what makes Los Angeles a special place to live is our iconic beaches, which attract more than 50 million visitors – and their tourism dollars – each year. The LA County Economic Development Corporation found in 2018 that our local “ocean economy” produced more than 200,000 local jobs and more than $34 billion in output. The climate bond would provide an essential injection of money to help us protect our coastline for its ecological and economic value, addressing sea level rise and other threats before the damage becomes too costly and unmanageable to address. 

Los Angeles is making great strides toward an independent, self-reliant, and equitable water future. Studies are clear that we can have clean, reliable water supplies for every Californian, but we’re not there yet. Voting yes on Prop 4 will bring us a big step closer to these important goals. Please join me in supporting this essential measure.