The people of California further find and declare that the state’s waters are vulnerable to contamination by dangerous bacteria, polluted runoff, toxic chemicals, damage from catastrophic floods and the demands of a growing population. Therefore, actions must be taken to ensure safe drinking water and a reliable supply of water for farms, cities and businesses, as well as to protect California’s rivers, lakes, streams, beaches, bays and coastal waters, for this and future generations.

(Added November 7, 2006, by initiative Proposition 84.)