Tell Governor Schwarzenegger
Water is a Human Right

May 18, 2013 Subject: Water is a Human Right Dear Governor Schwarzenegger RE: Support AB 1242 (Ruskin-Jones) I am writing to you as a California member or supporter of the U.S. Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, a listed Supporter of AB 1242 (Ruskin-Jones). . With water a top priority for the Legislature and your office, I want to bring your attention to the millions of Californians who lack access to safe and affordable water and urge you to sign AB1242 (Ruskin-Jones), the Human Right to Water Act of 2009. Water contaminated with excessive amounts of nitrates, pesticides, and industrial chemicals is well-documented. Assuring access to safe and affordable water for personal use, cooking and sanitary purposes is a prerequisite for healthy communities and a strong economy. With unsafe water, employees miss more days of work and families create higher bills in the healthcare system. Meanwhile, our educational system is overburdened dealing with developmental and behavioral problems related to contaminated water. Though bottled water can be used, the plastic containers add unnecessarily to California’s waste stream. Bottled water is also not economical because families pay up to 1,000 times more for it. Some people may forgo other necessities to afford water. To save money, others may cook, wash dishes, and bathe their children in water they know is making their families sick. I know that existing state law establishes access to safe, affordable drinking water for all Californians. Existing statute is in the Public Utilities Code and the Health Code. Unfortunately, those agencies do not have all of the authority necessary to make this a reality. AB 1242 will make it clear to all state agencies with relevant authority that they have a responsibility to work together with the PUC and the Department of Public Health to ensure water is safe. AB 1242 does so by establishing a right to water for basic human needs as a policy of the state, and requiring that state agencies, specifically water agencies, comply. AB 1242 will ensure that future regulations, grant programs, and agency practices are designed to move the state forward toward a day when everyone can safely fill a glass of water from their tap and drink it without fear. Please show your understanding of California’s water challenges by signing AB 1242 (Ruskin) and helping us to ensure that someday, every Californian will have clean, safe and affordable water. Sincerely, The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom works for Peace and Justice for all people. Please visit http://www.wilpf.org/water-about for more information. We will add your signature from the information you provide.		First Name* Last Name* Email* Street* Street 2 City* State/Province* Select a state Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces (the) Americas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory Other Zip/Postal Code* Send a Fax
This letter was prepared and endorsed by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and it's Save the Water Committtee.  For more information on WILPF and the Save the Water Committtee, please visit http://www.wilpf.org/water-about