The Voter – Policymaker Divide on Water

A poll conducted in November discovered that California voters have a distinctly different view from environmental and political leadership on how to address the future of water.

Dr. Adam Probolsky, president of Probolsky Research presented the poll results at the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE) Water Conference in Indian Wells which included some of the state’s top elected officials and advocacy groups leadership.

Surface storage (dams and reservoirs) are supported by seventy-two percent of voters.

Ocean water desalination is supported by seventy-seven percent of the voters.

The real number is closer to 80% of the state’s water supply going to agricultural use.

All this adds up to a challenge for the environmental community that is largely opposed to dams and desalination. It may also be an opportunity for supporters of new water infrastructure. They may use these voter sentiments in how they approach funding.

A more complete look at the polling data on water policy can be found here.