California’s history is marked by the construction of great and innovative infrastructure projects that improve our quality of life and position our state for continued economic prosperity. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Interstates 5 and 80, these projects are symbols of how major infrastructure investments can create incredible economic growth. Although the realization of these projects seemed impossible to many at the beginning, they quickly became an essential part of our critical infrastructure fabric that sustains our economy and way of life.

We are at a similar crossroads in building reliable water infrastructure to deliver water to two-thirds of Californians through the Delta Conveyance Project. This proposed project has been studied, refined, redesigned and rerouted as a result of extensive public input and thoughtful improvements by Governor Newsom’s administration.

The Delta Conveyance Project would upgrade the State Water Project’s water transportation infrastructure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project would add new water intake facilities to divert water from the Sacramento River and upgrade the current transportation system to also include a single underground tunnel that would allow California’s water managers to capture, transport, and store water during severe storm events. Currently, an average of 40% of Santa Clara County’s imported water is delivered through the State Water Project.

Now, with a certified environmental impact report and strong support from organizations representing thousands of businesses, unions, social justice activists and water authorities, it is time to move forward and implement this critically important water security project.

Ultimately, there is no greater priority than ensuring a reliable water supply for the people of California – it is essential to our health, our homes, our livelihoods and our economy.

A recent cost-benefit analysis by the California Department of Water Resources demonstrates the value of the project as local public water utilities consider the next phase. Every dollar spent on this important project generates $2.20 in economic benefit. In addition, the report found that the cost of “doing nothing” is in the billions of dollars and jeopardizes the long-term operation of the State Water Project – the water distribution infrastructure that provides water to millions of Californians and more than 750,000 acres of farmland.

California’s contractors and construction workers unions strongly support the Delta Conveyance Project because, like many large infrastructure projects, it will create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the state. Businesses in the area served by the State Water Project produce over $2.3 trillion in goods and services annually, which would be equivalent to the eighth largest economy in the world. This investment in the State Water Project will advance our economy.

The report shows that improving California’s water system and infrastructure through the Delta Conveyance Project is critical to the state’s economic future. With climate change impacting our daily lives and threatening our most basic resources, there is no time to lose.

The project is a climate adaptation strategy to protect extremely scarce water resources. Climate change and sea level rise are expected to cause the Sierra Nevada snowpack and overall water supplies to decrease by more than 500,000 acre-feet per year by 2070.