June 17, 2019

E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair

State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95812-0100

Dear Chair Esquivel and Members of the Board,

I write in strong support of the staff recommendation of an SRF loan of a total of $646.6 million to
fund Phase I San Diego Pure Water projects, as proposed in Agenda Items 13 and 14 on your June
18, 2019 agenda.

The City of San Diego has worked for many years to develop this important project that will
provide a local source of water. As a former member of the San Diego City Council, I know first
hand the commitment the City has made and will continue to make on behalf of its residents and
businesses to assure an adequate supply of potable water to meet its current and future needs.

The State Revolving Fund loan will enable the City to move forward now on constructing its long
sought after local source of water and significantly reduce the necessity of importing water from
northern California. The Pure Water Program will generate one-third of the City’s water when
completed in 2035. Using a proven water purification technology to clean recycled water, the
funding will allow the program to produce 30 million gallons per day of high quality purified
drinking water in 2023.

I urge the Board to support the SRF loan to help fund Phase I of the Pure Water Program and
reduce the City of San Diego’s dependence on imported water.

Warmly,

TONI G. ATKINS
Senate President pro Tempore
39th Senate District
TGA:ds