Senator Scott Wilk, R- Antelope Valley, announces that Senate Bill 634 (SB 634), a measure which would create a new water district in the Santa Clarita Valley, cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee and is headed to the Senate floor for consideration.

“Santa Clarita Valley residents deserve a 21st Century, transparent water delivery system. I am very pleased to see my colleagues in Sacramento support this notion as well,” said Wilk. “Creating a new water district will result in cost savings for ratepayers as well as an environmentally sustainable system. Water is a precious resource and ensuring it is managed correctly is important to everyone.”

SB 634 cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously and will proceed to full Senate for consideration.

“Today’s vote means we are one step closer to bringing the benefits of a new water district to the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Maria Gutzeit, president of Newhall County Water District. “This marks the third California State Senate committee to approve SB 634. It also follows 18 months of working with Senator Wilk and the community to ensure it reflects local priorities. Today’s unanimous support for the bill is a strong endorsement of this effort and we’re grateful for the committee’s support.”

“This legislation is a reflection of the leadership from Senator Scott Wilk and local water leaders to do something truly special for the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Robert DiPrimio, president of Castaic Lake Water Agency. “It is a once in a generation opportunity to create a new approach to water management and it has now earned the support of several California Senate committees. We now look forward to its final review from the full Senate next week.”

Maria Gutzeit and Bob DiPrimio, presidents of Newhall County Water District and Castaic Lake Water Agency respectively, issued the following statements on today’s unanimous passage of SB 634 (Wilk) – the Santa Clarita Valley Water District Act – out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee. The legislation will now head to a full vote of the Senate in the coming week.

“Today’s vote means we are one step closer to bringing the benefits of a new water district to the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Maria Gutzeit, President of NCWD. “This marks the third California State Senate committee to approve SB 634. It also follows 18 months of working with Senator Wilk and the community to ensure it reflects local priorities. Today’s unanimous support for the bill is a strong endorsement of this effort and we’re grateful for the committee’s support.”

“This legislation is a reflection of the leadership from Senator Scott Wilk and local water leaders to do something truly special for the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Robert DiPrimio, President of CLWA. “It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a new approach to water management and it has now earned the support of several California Senate committees. We now look forward to its final review from the full Senate next week.”

The Santa Clarita Valley Water District Act (SB 634, Wilk) is the product of two years of negotiations and public outreach led by CLWA and NCWD to unify water governance in the region. It would create a new district out of the existing service areas of the two agencies. A comprehensive economics and efficiencies study found that the new district would generate $14 million of savings in its first 10 years, create a new, more accessible governance structure, enhance environmental and watershed protections, and lead to stronger local water reliability, including the development of recycled water. More information can be found at www.YourSCVWater.com.