State water board leaders outline priorities: drinking water access, wildfire recovery and faster permitting

Secretary Jana Garcia and other state leaders told the Water Quality Coordinating Committee on May 14 that expanding access to safe drinking water, speeding wildfire recovery and modernizing permitting systems remain top priorities.

“Over the past eight years we have provided nearly $1.88 billion for drinking‑water projects in disadvantaged communities,” Secretary Jana Garcia said, adding that the boards have completed “more than 180 drinking‑water consolidations benefiting over 360,000 people.” Garcia noted that about 98% of Californians now have access to drinking water that meets standards while work continues to serve the remaining communities.

Bianca Severs, the governor’s adviser on water, emphasized equity and community participation, and urged regional boards to balance short‑term emergency response with long‑term planning. “We must make space for real community participation in policy,” Severs said.

Executive Director Eric Oppenheimer summarized the state board’s updated 2026 strategic work plan, which lists roughly 48 priorities organized under four themes: protecting public health; protecting watersheds and marine ecosystems; increasing resilience to climate change; and strengthening organizational capacity. He named the Bay‑Delta plan update, two pending water‑rights proceedings (delta conveyance and Sites reservoir), a statewide harmful algae bloom strategy and guidance for tribal beneficial uses as immediate priorities.

Oppenheimer also described regulatory achievements under the administration, including adoption of a direct potable reuse regulation and a water‑conservation regulation the board has forecast will save hundreds of thousands of acre‑feet over the coming decades. He noted roughly 400 water systems remain on the board’s failing list, serving about 613,000 Californians, and said staff set an internal goal to remove 90% of systems listed in 2019 by 2030.

On wildfire recovery, leaders pointed to a joint ‘‘cutting the green tape’’ memorandum that streamlined permitting and sped approvals: the executive team reported 385 approved restoration projects totaling roughly 90,000 acres, with many approvals completed in about 30 days and per‑project savings and shorter processing times documented in 2025.

Why it matters: The leadership panel framed the board’s near‑term work around urgent public health needs (drinking water, wastewater), the longer‑term challenge of balancing ecosystem protection and statewide water reliability in the Bay‑Delta, and the need to speed approvals for wildfire recovery projects without sacrificing environmental safeguards. Officials invited board members and regional staff to raise budget or coordination questions during the two‑day meeting.

What’s next: Many of the priorities discussed — the Bay‑Delta plan update, harmful algal bloom strategy and tribal beneficial uses guidance — are scheduled for more detailed updates and action this calendar year. The board will present a budget update and additional regional briefings on May 15.