Many of us are lucky enough to go through life and not worry about the air we breathe, the food we eat or the water we drink. When was the last time that you got a bill for the oxygen you inhaled last month? This would seem preposterous to many of us, but with water it is a different story.

Imagine not having water in your home. No way to wash your hands, take a shower or flush the toilet. Not because you don’t have access to it, but because you cannot afford to pay for it. I believe that access to clean, potable water is a human right that should be available to everyone.

Daniel McVey 

On March 4, as the COVID-19 pandemic began its grip on the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom passed executive order N-42-20. This order mandated hundreds of municipalities within California to suspend their delinquent account shut-off programs. It also reversed any current turn-offs.

This may seem completely logical to do now, but why has it taken a national pandemic to address water as a basic right? If we don’t offer this basic right equally to every citizen, how can we claim to be the pinnacle of democracy in the world?

I have had the privilege to work for a water utility for over a decade. One of the jobs that new employees get is “locking off” delinquent customers. Walking up to a home and turning off the water for nonpayment while seeing a child looking out the window is the hardest thing I have done in my career.

There is a process that leads up to this that involves notification, door-knockers and potential payment plans. The issue is that the people being turned off are usually the elderly, lower-income families and people with mental health issues. The stress of deciding whether to feed themselves and their families, keep the lights on or pay the water bill are just some of the decisions that they struggle to make.

As we come out of the pandemic, how will we reverse the governor’s executive order? The order does not suspend any amount owed or stop bills and fees from piling up. This means many of the poorest citizens will face even higher bills and penalties.

Much like the moratorium on evictions may just be “kicking the can down the road,” so too is the water order if something doesn’t happen. We will be faced with a mountain of shutoffs that could have drastic consequences to a large population. Utilities and their communities will face greater challenges if no new legislation is proposed.

I am not advocating for socializing our water utilities. I think that there are common-sense solutions that can be implemented to help solve this critical issue. Water is a right and essential need for human existence. So, I would propose a minimum free allotment to single-family residences and apartment complexes for indoor use.

California is the leader of the world in many progressive policies. This can be another, in which we set the standard in water rights. When this pandemic begins to wind down, what will be its legacy? I believe it should be one in which we have grown as a society.

I implore you to reach out to your local utility, City Council and legislators to see where they stand on this issue. Clean water is a right that all people are entitled to — not just the wealthy and those who can afford it.

Daniel McVey of Livermore is the utility maintenance supervisor for the city of Pleasanton.