Sacramento, Calif. (September 3, 2026)—State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) secured $171 million in the 2026–27 state budget package for the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program, protecting critical drinking-water assistance for communities across California.

SAFER helps meet that need through emergency water supplies, system repairs, technical assistance, infrastructure improvements and permanent solutions for struggling water systems.

“Growing up in the Central Valley, I, along with my family, experienced the challenges of limited availability to clean and affordable drinking water. Unfortunately, access to water is still a reality for many across the valley, including the community of Earlimart,” Senator Hurtado said. “Safe drinking water is a necessity, not a privilege. I am proud to have helped secure $171 million for SAFER. Those dollars will keep emergency assistance available, strengthen struggling water systems, and move permanent solutions forward. California made a commitment to communities waiting for clean, reliable water, and this investment helps us keep it.”

Established in 2019, SAFER supports communities facing contaminated water, failing infrastructure and other threats to reliable drinking water. The program has become a critical lifeline for small and disadvantaged communities throughout the Central Valley and across California.

What Others Are Saying

Aaron Fakuda, Executive Director, Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency: “We appreciate Senator Hurtado’s ongoing support in ensuring our citizens’ water supply remains a priority and necessity among the many competing issues we face today. This is especially important to the disadvantaged communities we represent, which often lack the financial means to address their ongoing water needs.”

Self-Help Enterprises: “Thanks to the leadership of Senator Hurtado, the needs of those who have lost access to water will be met for at least another year, as the promise of a human right to water in California remains intact. Going forward, we must focus on establishing an enduring financial commitment to this essential aid.”

Geoffrey Vanden Heuvel, Regulatory and Economic Affairs Director, Milk Producers Council: “If the Human Right to Water means anything at all, we must, as a society, continue to fund the important work the SAFER program does to provide clean water to our neighbors most in need. We appreciate the strong support Senator Hurtado brings to this issue in the State Legislature.”

Kris Lawrence, Executive Director, Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District: “Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental right, and the SAFER program is one of the most important tools we have for delivering on that promise in the communities that need it most. Senator Hurtado’s steadfast support keeps that vital work moving forward. On behalf of the Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District, we thank her for standing up for disadvantaged communities and making safe drinking water a lasting priority.”

Justin Skarb, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs, California Water Service: “The SAFER program has become an indispensable tool in helping to provide all Californians with safe, reliable drinking water, and the program only works with sufficient funding. Senator Hurtado’s leadership and advocacy on the critically important topic of SAFER funding has been invaluable, and we appreciate the Legislature’s commitment to ensuring each and every Californian has access to clean, dependable water.”

Eric Quinley, Executive Director, Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District: “The most vulnerable residents of California are now in a position to continue receiving the protections the state promised them through prior legislative actions signed into law by the Governor, thanks to the tireless efforts of Senator Hurtado. Without Senator Hurtado’s leadership, many California residents would surely be facing emergency water shortages that would remain unmet.”

Susana De Anda, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Community Water Center: “The Human Right to Water is the law in California, and we applaud California leaders for upholding it. With 900,000 Californians gaining access to safe drinking water through SAFER, guaranteeing $171 million for 2026–27 is an important step toward ensuring that communities still fighting for solutions can have safe, reliable water flowing from their taps.”

Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director, California Water Association: “The Legislature’s budget proposal to fund SAFER is a critical investment in the 600,000 Californians still waiting for safe, reliable drinking water. CPUC-regulated water utilities have long been partners in this work, not just through direct assistance, but by stepping in to take over struggling small water systems and investing in the infrastructure, treatment and long-term management those communities need.”

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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