Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Times I Civic Publications, Inc. I 35
34 I Community Profiles 2024
From WQA Pg 33
WQA Board of Directors
Irwindale, La Verne, Monrovia, Monterey Park, South Pasadena and Whittier. Cities without pumping rights are: Baldwin Park, Bradbury, Duarte, La Puente, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South El Monte, Temple City, West Covina. The cleanup is funded by those deemed responsible for the contamination as well as by federal and state grants and local resources. This funding helps to lessen the burden on local ratepayers. In the past three fiscal years, the WQA has received two $25.5 million in federal allocations as well as significant State grant funding. In March 2023, the U.S. EPA proposed a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation to establish legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels, for six PFAS contaminants in drinking water. That same month, WQA filed a lawsuit
CLEANUP BY THE NUMBERS
Mark Paulson Chairman San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Senate Bill 1679 that created
the WQA in 1993 set forth the boundaries, duties, powers, financing and management of the authority. The governance was originally a five-member board with three members appointed by the local water districts and two elected from cities (both with and without water pumping rights in the Basin). In 2000, Assembly Bill 2544 amended the governance to add two board members representing water producers in the Basin. “All of us on the WQA Board have a vested interest in securing a safe, reliable water supply for our communities today and for future generations throughout the San Gabriel Valley,” said WQA Board President Mark Paulson. “We will continue seeking the necessary funding, support and technology to complete our mission to restore the Basin.”
2,057,982 Acre-feet of groundwater treated in San Gabriel Basin as of June 30, 2024. 325,851 The amount of gallons in one acre-foot of water. 7,948 The number of times you could fill the Rose Bowl with the 1.9 million acre-feet of treated water. 217,267 The amount in pounds of contaminants removed as of June 30, 2024. 24 The number of elephants equal to the weight of the contaminants removed. 31 Years WQA has been coordinating the cleanup effort. 33 Active groundwater treatment facilities in the San Gabriel Basin. 7 New treatment plants under construction.
Lynda Noriega Vice-Chairwoman California Domestic Water Company
“We are the stopgap preventing contamination from migrating into the
Central Basin, a primary drinking water source to approximately 1.6 million residents.”
Valerie Muñoz Secretary City of La Puente
Blanca E. Rubio California Assemblymember
Robert Gonzales Treasurer City of Azusa
against 3M, DuPont and other companies in an effort to recover cleanup costs associated with PFAS contamination in the Basin. “Both the changing climate and the emergence of new groundwater contaminants illustrate the continued need for the WQA for a resilient and sustainable future,” said WQA Executive Director Randy Schoellerman. “Our goal is to restore this vital groundwater supply for future generations.” Congresswoman Judy Chu, whose 28th District includes parts of the San Gabriel Valley, including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Pasadena and Claremont, recognizes the vital role of the WQA.
Paulson represents the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. He is joined on the WQA Board by: Vice-Chairwoman Lynda Noriega, representing the California Domestic Water Company (a water producer); Secretary Valerie Muñoz, La Puente City Councilmember representing cities without pumping rights; Treasurer Robert Gonzales, Mayor of the City of Azusa representing cities with pumping rights; Ed Chavez, representing Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District; Robert DiPrimio, representing the San Gabriel Valley Water Company (a water producer); and Bob Kuhn, representing Three Valleys Municipal Water District.
Ed Chavez Board Member
Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
The cities with pumping rights are: Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Covina, El Monte, Glendora, Industry,
Robert DiPrimio Board Member San Gabriel Valley Water Company
“There is quite a ways to go on the cleanup, so it’s very much on my agenda to continue advocating for federal funding,” said Chu. “The WQA is critically important to the future of the San Gabriel Valley because it is cleaning up the water in this very important water basin.” The San Gabriel Basin is 167 square miles and is divided into six Operable Units where nearly 108 tons of contaminants have been removed. For more information about the WQA, go to www.wqa.com m
“All of us on the WQA Board have a vested interest in securing a safe, reliable water supply for our communities today and for future generations throughout the San Gabriel Valley,”
Bob Kuhn Board Member Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Mark Paulson Board President WQA
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