Sacramento, Calif. (September 3, 2026)—State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) secured $171 million in the 2026–27 state budget package for the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program, protecting critical drinking-water assistance for communities across California.
SAFER helps meet that need through emergency water supplies, system repairs, technical assistance, infrastructure improvements and permanent solutions for struggling water systems.