TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (October 8, 2026)— State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) joined regional water leaders Thursday afternoon at the Okieville Recharge Basin in Tulare County to announce 171 million in continued support for California’s Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program, preserving a critical lifeline for communities struggling to access safe and affordable drinking water.

The SAFER Program is designed to improve access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water, while helping water systems achieve long-term sustainability for all Californians.

Senator Hurtado led the fight to restore $171 million, protecting critical resources for communities that cannot afford to wait for safe drinking water.

“What good is recognizing a human right to water, if we are not willing to provide the resources to make it a reality,” Hurtado said in reference to the state’s 2012 legislative recognition of water as a human right. “Growing up in the Central Valley, my family and I experienced the challenges of limited access to clean and affordable drinking water. I know these challenges are not just statistics—they affect the health, dignity and future of our communities. I fought to protect this funding because every Californian deserves access to safe, reliable water, regardless of their ZIP code.”

In the Central Valley communities have seen the direct consequences when water systems fail. These state dollars help mitigate future crises.

“SAFER has been there for our community. SAFER is a collaboration, working with state, local, non-profits, together. SAFER can help us take it to the next level and we find that SAFER funding when leveraged against local dollars, has huge benefits for our communities,” Aaron Fukuda, CEO of the Tulare Irrigation District said. “Thank you, Senator Hurtado, for being our water hero. Your time is making a difference.”

Senator Melissa Hurtado is Chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 on State Administration and General Government and currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties.

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