California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) accused President Donald Trump of spreading “misinformation” about California’s struggles with water, saying there is no “spigot” that can be turned to solve all the state’s water problems.
The shortage of water became tragically apparent during the Palisades Fire when firefighters found that hydrants lacked sufficient water pressure to operate their hoses. Moreover, the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which is run by Los Angeles and sits above the Pacific Palisades, and theoretically holds 117 million gallons of water, was empty, offline for maintenance.
Trump has suggested that Southern California did not have enough water available to fight fires because of the diversion of water supplies from Northern California into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to save the delta smelt.
Speaking to reporters, Newsom said: “It is very damaging when people believe such misinformation. I don’t mean it in a malign sense.”
“Maybe the President just doesn’t know that there’s not a spigot that can be turned to solve all the water problems that he alleges exist, that don’t exist, as it relates to [the] state water system here in California,” he added.
There are two main water systems in California — one state, and one federal, with separate aqueducts carrying water south to agricultural and urban users. Both systems are chronically short of water. The state has not added a major reservoir to its system in more than 40 years.
Newsom’s specific reference to the “state water system” could be an attempt to deflect blame onto federal or local water authorities. But Los Angeles also relies on the State Water Project for some of its supply.
Newsom admitted that while he had invited Trump to California, he had not had any contact with the president before his visit, but planned on welcoming him on the tarmac of Hollywood Burbank Airport, where Air Force One is expected to land on Friday afternoon.
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