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Go Green RadioAuthor: Jill Buck
Go Green Radio examines the most pressing environmental issues of the day. Language: en-us Genres: Education, Government Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Women, Latinos, and BIPOC Least Represented in Addressing Water Inequities
Episode 6
Tuesday, 5 May, 2026
In August 2025, Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL), in conjunction with the University of California, Davis, released its first study on Assessing Representation, Access, and Transparency of Decision-Makers in California's Water Sector. The study examined board members and executive (or C-suite) positions, analyzing the composition of governing bodies in California's water sector. It identified 1,980 Public Water Agencies PWAs) and sampled 688 (or 35%) of them. Results showed that historically marginalized communities— including women, Latinos, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)—remain significantly underrepresented in these decision-making bodies. The study also examined systemic barriers that prevent more diverse representation and whether board members had prior advantageous knowledge before assuming their roles. Part II of this continuing study examined 364 Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA); and 12 State Water Agencies (SWAs); the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), nine Regional Water Boards (RWBs), California Department of Water Resources (DWR); and the Colorado River Board. Sadly, the disparities nearly mimic the first study's results. Tune in as we speak with the President and Founder of WELL, Victor Griego, and Associate Professor at the University of California Davis (UC Davis), Dr. Samuel Sandoval Solis, about the studies and what can be done to rectify this issue.
