SACRAMENTO — On Sunday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to maximize water deliveries to Southern California and “override existing activities that unduly burden efforts to maximize water deliveries.”

In response, the State Water Contractors are calling for a collaboration to modernize California’s water infrastructure.

“The State Water Contractors appreciate President Trump’s support for our California water users. As stewards of more than half of California’s water supply, managing water that serves one in twelve Americans, our focus is always on working toward a stronger and more resilient water future for our cities, farms and environment,” said Jennifer Pierre, general manager of the State Water Contractors.

Pierre said California’s current set of water delivery regulations are guided by real-time science to maximize water supplies and deliveries for all users in compliance with the law and based on the best available information.

“This real-time, data-driven approach has been successful and is a huge step forward from where we used to be as a state. But we can still do more. The State Water Contractors welcome ongoing coordination with state and federal leaders to ensure continued improvements in water reliability through the water system,” Pierre said.

California’s water infrastructure is vast and sophisticated, but it is also outdated, Pierre said.

“Our aging infrastructure directly impacts California’s ability to deliver and store water at the times and in the volumes needed. Projects like delta conveyance, addressing subsidence and improving our storage capacity will give California, and especially southern California, the resiliency it needs,” she said.

“We look forward to working with partners at all levels of government to better understand the recent Executive Order and Jan. 20 Memo in order to work together to modernize our infrastructure and benefit all users,” Pierre said.

The State Water Contractors is a statewide, nonprofit association of 27 public agencies from Northern, Central and Southern California that purchase water under contract from the California State Water Project. Collectively the State Water Contractors deliver water to more than 27 million residents throughout the state and more than 750,000 acres of agricultural land.