Board reviews draft 2025 Safe Drinking Water Plan; staff seeks public comment through Aug. 29

State Water Resources Control Board staff presented the draft 2025 Safe Drinking Water Plan at a July 15 workshop, describing the plan as the five‑year, statute‑directed review of California’s drinking water programs and a platform for recommendations to improve access to reliable, safe drinking water.

The draft is the fourth update of the plan (1993, 2015, 2020 and 2025) and contains more than 70 recommendations grouped around four cross-cutting themes: emergency preparedness, sustainability and technical/managerial/financial (TMF) capacity, equity and the human right to water, and program action. Staff said the plan was posted July 7 and that the public comment period will close at noon on August 29.

Why it matters Staff told the board that while about 98% of Californians served by public water systems receive water that meets standards, the remaining communities and an estimated 4% of the population served by state small systems or domestic wells are not regulated and face documented water quality problems. The plan seeks legislative and program actions to close those gaps.

Key contents and recommendations - Consolidation and sustainability: Staff emphasized consolidation and regional partnerships as a principal strategy for small, under-resourced systems, noting 170 consolidations since the 2020 plan and an overall reduction in systems lacking access to safe drinking water. - Technical and data investments: The plan calls for ongoing improvements to data systems, public dashboards and analytical methods to detect contaminants, including targeted monitoring for emerging contaminants. - Financing and affordability: Staff summarized funding progress — including $1 billion in grants since 2019 and $73 million in technical assistance — while describing a persistent funding gap and recommending expanded operations-and-maintenance and low-income ratepayer supports as part of long-term financial strategies. - Emerging contaminants and standards: The plan reviews recent federal and state maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and regulatory actions (PFAS, hexavalent chromium), discusses monitoring and treatment technology, and recommends continued evaluation of contaminants such as perchlorate and PFAS mixtures.

Public comment and board discussion Commenters at the workshop included Nick Blair of the Association of California Water Agencies, Jennifer Clary of Clean Water Action, and Natalie Escobedo Garcia of Leadership Council. Their remarks urged clarity on prioritization of recommendations, additional transparency on timelines and budgets, stronger attention to affordability and low-income assistance, and updates on implementation of the Chromium‑6 MCL.

Board members and staff stressed the plan’s role in informing the Legislature and program priorities. Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel and other members thanked staff for the plan’s scope and asked that follow-up items (for example, an informational update on Chromium‑6 implementation timing) be considered in future board briefings.

Next steps Staff said submitted comments will be reviewed and incorporated prior to a final board adoption expected later in 2025, and formal transmittal to the Legislature is planned for early 2026. Written comments were invited through August 29; staff provided online submission instructions.