A bill to add a “water tax” to drinking water has been introduced in the California legislature, and is now making its way through the Assembly.

Senate Bill 623 would establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to provide an ongoing source of funding to finance water improvement projects throughout California, according to Bill Monning, who sponsored the bill.

The revenue for the fund would come from a tax assessed on water bills of no more than $1 a month per household.

Additional sources of revenue include fees for both fertilizer and dairies, according to the bill.  

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The legislation would require the state board to adopt regulations to create an exemption from the fee for low-income households.

“SB 623 represents a historic agreement between agriculture and clean water advocates to create an equitable pathway to financing projects that ensure clean drinking water for all those who live in the Golden State,” said Monning. “While most Californians know that in Flint, Michigan, few realize that right here in California there are more than 1 million people who are annually exposed to unsafe drinking water.”

Approximately 300 water systems in California currently have pollutant violations, such as arsenic, lead, nitrates, and uranium that have been linked to nausea and vomiting, cancer, reduced mental functioning in children, nervous system decline, miscarriages, and numerous other health issues.

Opponents to the bill, including State Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, say the bill is “well-intentioned,” but increases the already high tax burden for most California residents.  

“Water is our most precious natural resource and it is imperative we make it available and affordable for everyone,” said Wilk. “This bill may be well-intentioned to accomplish that goal but its methods are flawed.”

Officials estimate the tax would raise up to $140 million in revenue annually for water projects in rural areas, if passed by the California legislature.

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