Office of Emergency Services: state matching funds: water system infrastructure improvements.

Assembly Member Bennett's proposal to establish the Rural Water Infrastructure for Wildfire Resilience Program within California's Office of Emergency Services (OES) aims to bolster fire suppression capabilities in high-risk rural communities through targeted water infrastructure improvements. The program would distribute state matching funds to urban wildland interface communities located in designated high or very high fire hazard severity zones.

The program authorizes funding for specific water system enhancements, including waterline upgrades, additional fire hydrants, improved distribution capacity, system interconnections, and backup power generation. OES would coordinate implementation with the Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, and Office of the State Fire Marshal. The bill's findings note that one in four California residential structures - over 2 million households - are situated within or near high fire hazard severity zones.

Fund distribution would prioritize smaller water systems serving 15,000 or fewer connections, with particular focus on projects near national resource waters and headwaters. Eligible projects must align with existing community wildfire protection plans, hazard mitigation strategies, or water system master plans. The program's activation depends on voter approval of the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, which would provide the necessary appropriations.