Existing law, the Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act, authorizes a regional water management group, as defined, to prepare and adopt an integrated regional water management plan. The act requires an integrated regional water management plan to address specified water quality and supply matters.

Existing law, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative bond act approved by the voters as Proposition 84 at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $5,388,000,000 for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, and resource protection program. Existing law, with regard to these bond funds, appropriates $181,791,000 to the Department of Water Resources for integrated regional water management activities, and requires, for certain of those funds, that the department allocate not less than 10% to facilitate and support the participation of disadvantaged communities in integrated regional water management planning and for projects that address critical water supply or water quality needs for disadvantaged communities.

This bill would require in each integrated regional water management region that not less than 10% of any funding for integrated regional water management planning purposes be used to facilitate and support the participation of disadvantaged communities in integrated regional water management planning and for projects that address critical water supply or water quality needs for disadvantaged communities.