CALIFORNIA WATER WINTER 2025
WHAT’S NEXT?
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE
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Water at Climate Change Forefront
A s 2025 begins, I’m excited to welcome you to this Special Edition of California Water. I’m proud to partner with Cali- fornia Water magazine and Civic Publications to highlight critical water challenges in our region. Environmental expert Peter Gleick famously said, “If climate change is the shark, then water is its teeth.” Water is where we first see the most significant impacts of climate change, making it central to California’s sustainability efforts. This year marks a major milestone with California’s new water efficiency regulations taking effect January 1. These permanent rules require urban water suppliers to cut water delivery by up to 39% by 2040, transforming water use and conservation statewide. While a vital step toward preparing for a hotter, drier future, implementing these changes may bring challenges, including rising costs. California’s leadership extends beyond reducing carbon emis- sions. Our commitment to net-zero emissions by 2045 and investments in renewable energy set the national standard. But sustainability isn’t just about cutting carbon—it’s about safe- guarding water, too. In December 2024, the Metropolitan Water District advanced the Delta Conveyance Project by funding final studies. This
crucial initiative will modernize our infrastructure and bolster its reliability against climate impacts. To learn more about how Southern California is tackling these challenges, I encourage you to explore the Southern California Water Coalition’s 2024 Annual Report . This resource highlights progress and partnerships driving water solutions in our region. At California Water, we tell stories that inspire action – spotlighting solutions, innovators, and practical steps for a sustainable future. Let’s make 2025 a year of progress, innovation, and impact.
Warm regards, Charley Wilson
Charles Wilson is the Executive Director of the Southern California Water Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to informing Californians about our water needs and resources.
Fire and Water : How They Are and Are Not Linked
million Southern California households for a year. There are also three reservoirs managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and multiple groundwater storage basins, including the San Gabriel Basin and Chino Basin. Did an inadequate supply of water cause hydrants to run dry? “We have adequate supply for firefighting, but they were fighting an out-of-control wildland fire with a domestic water system,” said TVMWD General Manager and Chief Engineer Matt Litchfield. “Domestic water systems are not designed to fight that kind of fire. They’re designed to fight one to two structure fires at a time. That’s why wildfires are fought from the air.” Extreme winds grounded air support for about 12 hours as both fires spread rapidly. “Just like climate change affects our water supply, it is affect - ing our weather patterns. The intensity of the winds and the severe dryness is a bad combination,” said IEUA General Manag-
By Elizabeth Smilor Special Sections Writer
T he devastating wildfires that swept through Pacific Palisades and Altadena, brought to the forefront many critical issues from climate change to the California insurance crisis to wa- ter supply. Regional water managers, say statements of blame based on water supply are simplistic and unfounded. “Once those fires ignited with the extremely high winds, I don’t think it matters how much water you have, you’re not go- ing to stop that,” said General Manager Tom Love of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper District). “We did not have a water supply issue when those fires broke out. In fact, regionally Metropolitan has a record amount of water in storage.” Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which has 26 member agencies including Upper District, Three Valleys Municipal Water District (TVMWD) and the Inland Empire Utili- ties Agency (IEUA), has three reservoirs that combined currently store nearly 1-million acre-feet of water or enough to supply 3
Publisher
Chris Lancaster Elizabeth Smilor Scott Pasewalk
Executive Editor
Art Director
CALIFORNIA WATER SPECIAL EDITION is published by Civic Publications, Inc. ©2025. For comments or questions, email Chris Lancaster at chris.lancaster@civicpub.com www.civicpublications.com
Chief Strategist and Consultant
Mary Lou Echternach
Government Affairs Consultant
Cathleen Galgiani Steven Georges
Photographer Videographer Contributors
Eric Halsey
Continue Fire, Page 7
Charley Wilson Amy Bentley
2 | California Water: Special Edition
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Metropolitan Vote Improves Water Supply Outlook By Elizabeth Smilor Special Sections Writer
A serpentine stretch of the California Aqueduct in Palmdale. Florence Low / California Department of Water Resources
T he raging wildfires bring to the forefront the need for climate resilience, something regional water managers are working toward every day. In fact, at the end of 2024, the water supply and long-term infrastructure investment outlook improved. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) vot- ed overwhelmingly to approve additional funding for the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), and the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) increased the State Wa- ter Project allocation forecast to 15% following Northern California storms. In an hours-long meeting with more than 60 public comments, the Metropolitan Board of Directors voted to approve $141 million in additional funding for planning and permitting for the DCP, a single-tunnel proposal to move excess water along the east side of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the California Aqueduct and storage reservoirs. “What was so remarkable and significant at the meeting was that there was a ma - jority of speakers from the business community, the labor community, other areas across the state who told the board they are in support of the Delta Conveyance Project,” said Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District General Manager Tom Love. “The fact that 99% of the board voted yes to continue funding the project was unexpected. For us, that strong margin was significant. We don’t have other options on the table. It’s important to keep this option open.” Love and Upper District Board President Elizabeth
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Santana were special guests of Metropolitan Board Chair Adán Ortega Jr. at the Dec. 10 meeting. Upper District is one of 26 Metropolitan member agencies and cities that rely on the cooperative for imported water from the State Water Project (SWP) and the Colorado River. Some
other members are: Three Valleys Municipal Water District and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA). Metropolitan is one of 27 SWP Contractors and the one with the largest stake in the DCP. Other SWP contractors include the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District. “After careful consideration, our board took this step because it allows us to gather critical information about the project’s benefits and costs that will allow us to evaluate whether we will participate in the full construction of the project,” said Metropolitan Board Chair Ortega. “Along with our investments in storage, a more resilient distribution system, conservation and local supplies, the State Wa- ter Project remains a cornerstone of water reliability for the 19 Adán Ortega Jr.
Continue Metropolitan, Page 12
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Cyber Security Discussed at Three Valleys MWD Leadership Breakfast
Three Valleys Board Changes Three Valleys Municipal Water District welcomed one new direc- tor and selected new leaders at year’s end. Jorge Marquez was elected to represent Division 6 in Novem- ber. Marquez, a resident of Pomona and a San Gabriel Valley native, has extensive regional water experience. He represented cities with pumping rights as Chairman Three Valleys is a wholesale water district serving 13 retail agency customers and is one of the 26 water agencies that make up the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. ment and your agency.” Wrapping up the event, TVMWD General Manager and Chief Engineer Matt Litchfield, commented: “Cyber security is no longer just IT’s responsibility. It’s all of our responsibility. As Heather stated, the best defense for cyber threats is to play offense and be prepared.”
By Amy Bentley Special Sections Writer
employee payroll, service contracts, customer billing, tele- communications, HVAC and more. “Know your full inventory,” she said. Collins shared best practices including having strong and unusual passwords, changing passwords often, having multi-factor authentication, knowing how to recognize email
T he importance of cyber security and how to avoid devas- tating cyberattacks led the keynote talk at Three Valleys Municipal Water District’s third Leadership Breakfast of 2024. Heather Collins, Director of Water Treatment for Metropoli-
President on Dec. 18, 2024. Ti replaced Jody Roberto who served as president for three years. “We appreciate the deep level of involvement and experience that Mike has demonstrated since he joined the board,” Rober- to said. “His growing knowledge of the district and extensive water industry experience make him an important asset as our new President.” “My experience with each of my fellow board members has always been one of admiration and respect for the work they do for the agency and its member agencies,” Ti said. “I look for- ward to continuing that in the role as Board President.”
tan Water District of Southern California, was the keynote speaker at the Oct. 31 event at the Kellogg West Confer-
scams, dealing with old computer software, not leaving work laptops in parked cars where they could be stolen, having a business resumption and continuity plan, and using the free government vulnerability scanning service. The takeaway of her talk, Collins told the crowd, is: have action plans and “do something at your agencies.” “I implore you all to go back and talk about all of this with your manage-
ence Center at Cal Poly Pomona. Collins told a large audience of water leaders and other government officials how the wa - ter and wastewater industries are at risk from cyber security threats, data breaches and cyberattacks, similar to the way the energy and transportation sectors have been attacked. “The landscape is just exploding. It’s unknown when the attacks are going to happen,” Collins said. She played news clips of government officials warning that hackers can
of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (WQA), is an ap- pointed member of the Water Appeals Board for L.A. County, and served on the Covina Irri- gating Company board. Mar- quez also served two terms as Mayor of Covina and is active in many community groups. Four-year Board Director and past Vice President Mike Ti was unanimously chosen as Board
Carlos Goytia was selected to serve as Vice President and Jeff Hanlon as Secretary/Treasurer. The leadership team ex- pressed a commitment to fos- tering collaboration, enhancing district operations, and address- ing the critical water challenges facing our communities.
come from Russia, China and Iran. “These threat actors are from all over the place, they’re even from our own backyard.” “The threat is that punch they are going to throw. But the vulnerability is you don’t know when that is going to happen,” Collins said. “I ask you all, what is your risk factor and what is your risk tolerance for such a punch? Are you ready to get knocked out? Are you ready to be losing balance a little bit?” Collins discussed the var- ious information and tech- nology systems vulnerable to cyberattacks and hacks:
Mike Ti President (Division II)
Jorge Marquez Director (Division VI)
Carlos Goytia Vice President (Division I)
Jeff Hanlon Secretary/Treasurer (Division III)
Bob Kuhn Director (Division IV)
David De Jesus Director (Division II)
Jody Roberto Director (Division V)
Three Valleys Municipal Water District invited Heather Collins, Present-Elect of the American Water Works Association, to deliver a keynote address during a Leadership Breakfast recognizing “Cybersecurity Awareness Month.”
6 | California Water: Special Edition
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From Fire, Page 3
Could you build a municipal water system that could combat massive wildfires? “With fires of this magnitude, I don’t care how big your system is, it’s just not going to be sufficient to stop a fire fueled by those intense winds,” Love said. “Anything can be designed, it will just come at a tremendous cost,” added
er Shivaji Deshmukh. “The systems are designed to handle a certain amount of fire, but this was overwhelming.” That formidable demand led to fire hydrants going dry. “A firefight with multiple fire hydrants drawing water from the system for several hours is unsustainable,” said L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella at a news conference. “This is a known fact.” Love explained that in the case of the Eaton Fire, uphill reservoirs were filled ahead of the wind event but that when those ran dry, water had to be pumped up using pumping stations, many of which ran for hours on diesel-fueled backup generators. Metropolitan sent diesel trucks to the Rose Bowl, but some water pressure was lost, he said.
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Additionally, DWR quickly brought a pipeline back online from Castaic Lake when the fires started and indefinitely delayed maintenance work, Love said. It was thus operating long before the Hughes Fire ignited nearby on Jan. 22. Typically, maintenance on water sys- tems is performed in winter when water demand is lower, Litchfield said. He and Love agreed that one reservoir in Pacific Palisades empty for maintenance would not have made much of a difference if it were full.
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The remains of Altadena Baptist Church on Jan. 26 after the Eaton Fire. Photo by Elizabeth Smilor
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Deshmukh. Water affordability is top of mind for all water man - agers, so they wouldn’t want the cost to fall on ratepayers. All agreed that maximizing water storage is always a priority for everyday and emergency situations. Shivaji pointed out a benefit of groundwater storage is a natural filtration that keeps the water usable for long periods of time. Love said water in above-ground reservoirs has a “shelf life” because the quality becomes compromised by exposure. In the case of emergencies, the water agencies provide mu- tual aid as they are able. Upper District also offers firescaping classes to help property owners landscape for fire mitigation. Three Valleys is planning a remodel of its administrative building in Claremont that will include fire mitigation materials. “You need to be proactive before these events,” Litchfield said. “We can harden our facilities to be resistant to fire, so they don’t burn down and once the fire is over, we can minimize the amount of time a water system is down and speed up recovery.”
19 Jun
In a press conference, LA DWP Chief Executive and Chief En- gineer Janisse Quiñones said firefighters battling the blaze in the Palisades created four times the normal demand in the area for 15 straight hours. Is the ongoing Delta Conveyance Project debate connected to water supply for the fires? No, said Love: “It’s not the fact we have difficulty moving wa - ter from Northern California, that’s a different issue all together.” Litchfield agreed but still welcomed any attention on the issue (featured on page 4 of this section): “The Delta is a statewide issue and it’s an important project for capturing water lost to the Pacific Ocean for drought conditions. It has become a hot topic political issue. I’m OK with that if it helps us get that project across the finish line, it’s long overdue.”
To learn more and register, visit www.upperdistrict.org/water-smart-workshops/
Director Ed Chavez Secretary Division 3
Director Anthony R. Fellow Vice President Division 1
Director Jennifer Santana
Director Charles M. Treviño Division 2
Director Katarina Garcia
EVENTS
President Division 5
Treasurer Division 4
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W ith cycles of drought a fact of life in Southern California, local residents know the importance of maintaining a safe, abundant and reliable water supply. The San Gabriel Valley is fortunate to have a local water supply – the Main San Gabriel Basin – and it needs to be protected. This is what the San Gabri- el Basin Water Quality Authority (WQA) is doing: keeping your water safe. The WQA has coordinated the cleanup efforts since its cre - ation more than 30 years ago. As a result, 2.1 million acre-feet of water has been treated, thus making the region less depen- dent upon imported water. In 1979, industrial solvents and other contaminants were discovered in the San Gabriel Basin, a large underground aquifer that provides 90 percent of the water supply to the San Gabriel Valley. The contamination is believed to be the result of decades of improper chemical handling and disposal practices. Over time, chemicals seeped into the groundwater and began San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority: Providing Clean Groundwater for Future Generations
WQA Names Lynda Noriega as 2025 Chairperson T he San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Au- thority (WQA) is pleased to announce
showing up in wells pumping drinking water out of the aquifer. As a result, water suppliers had to shut down wells and large portions of the 167-square-mile Basin were placed on the feder - al Superfund cleanup list in 1984. On Feb. 11, 1993, the California Legislature established the WQA to develop, manage, finance and implement groundwater treatment programs in the San Gabriel Basin. The WQA identi- fied polluters and worked to secure funding from them as well as the state and federal government, so ratepayers are not left footing the cleanup bill. The WQA coordinates these efforts with local, state and federal agencies and water producers, and also works to prevent future contamination. Today, 34 treatment plants are successfully removing the contaminants from the Basin, which is the primary source of drinking water for over 1.5 million people in Alhambra, Irwin - dale, La Puente, Rosemead, Azusa, Baldwin Park, City of Indus- try, El Monte, South El Monte, West Covina and other areas of the San Gabriel Valley. Seven new treatment plants are under construction. The WQA is using the newest and most innovative technology to finish cleaning the Basin before the agency is scheduled to sunset in 2050. Since the WQA’s inception, WQA-sponsored projects have been responsible for treating over 2 million acre-feet of water in the Basin and removing nearly 217,267 pounds of contaminants. The WQA keeps its focus on the key mission of making sure your water is safe. Learn more at www.wqa.com .
BOARD MEMBERS
the appointment of Lynda Noriega as Chairperson of its Board of Directors for the year 2025. Noriega, who represents the water producers in the Main San Gabriel Basin, brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to improving water quality and managing resources in the region. As Chairperson, Noriega will lead the WQA’s efforts to oversee critical water quality initiatives, advocate for innovative solutions, and guide the Authority’s policies and projects that impact millions of resi- dents across the San Gabriel Valley.
Robert Gonzales Vice Chairman
Valerie Muñoz Secretary
Lynda Noriega Chairwoman
Bob Kuhn Treasurer
Ed Chavez Board Member
“I am honored to serve as Chairperson of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority,” said Noriega. “The work of the WQA is vital to ensuring that our communities continue to have access to clean, safe water, and I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members, stakeholders, and local agencies to continue advancing our mission.” Noriega has been an active member of the WQA board, where her lead- ership in representing the interests of water producers has been instru- mental in advancing key water quality programs. She has been an advocate for sustainable water management, supporting efforts that ensure long- term water security for the region. The WQA plays a crucial role in monitoring and enhancing the quality of groundwater in the San Gabriel Basin, a vital source of drinking water for over 1.5 million people. Through collaborative efforts with local agencies, the WQA works to address contamination issues and fund cleanup projects to restore the Basin’s water resources. “We are excited to have Lynda Noriega as our Chairperson for 2025,” said WQA Executive Director Randy Schoellerman. “Her experience, knowl- edge, and dedication to the Basin will be essential as we continue our work to protect and improve the water quality in the San Gabriel Basin. We look forward to a productive year under her leadership.”
Robert DiPrimio Board Member
Mark Paulson Board Member
Randy Schoellerman Executive Director
(626) 338-5555 | info@wqa.com www.wqa.com
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A bioacoustic fish fence, installed by DWR, uses a combination of bubbles, flashing LED lights and low-frequency sound to discourage young sensitive fish species from entering the interior Delta where their chances of survival decrease. Xavier Mascareñas / California Department of Water Resources
From Metropolitan, Page 4
v
million people in our service area.” The Metropolitan vote followed
Check out these quick tips for keeping your home water-wise: Check and repair your sprinklers to prevent leaks and overspray. Turn off your sprinkler system during and for 48 hours after rain.
decisions by 11 other agencies to con - tinue funding the next phase of the project. Metropolitan’s $141 million represents just over 47% of the phase cost. Governor Gavin Newsom met with Metropolitan leaders and staff prior to the vote and state Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot attended the meeting and spoke briefly before the vote. “This backbone of water is the most affordable source. Southern California is the conservation leader, but we have to be able to continue to move two-thirds of the state’s wa- ter,” Crowfoot said. “This is about maintaining your options in an unprecedented time.” The SWP supplies water to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of irrigated farmland. If its service area were a nation it would rank as the world’s eighth-largest economy. The DCP would modernize the Delta infrastructure to better capture and move water in wet years and also protect the Delta from salinity intrusion and earthquake risk. “The Delta Conveyance Project will build climate and earth- quake resiliency into the foundation of California’s water infra- structure, better preparing us for increased periods of drought and climate extremes. Agencies like Metropolitan want to con- tinue the important work that has already begun to fully study and construct this project,” said State Water Contractors General Manager Jennifer Pierre. California DWR’s 2023 State Water Project Delivery Capability Report indicates that with no significant climate adaptation, wa - ter deliveries will drop by up to 21% in 20 years. “Living through the past drought of 2020 through 2022 when the SWP allocation was at 5% and 0%, it exposed how important the water supply generated from the SWP is to Southern Califor- nia,” said Three Valleys General Manager and Chief Engineer Matt Litchfield, adding that TVMWD had to rely solely on Colorado River water. “While local supplies and conservation measures are import- ant and effective, the volumes of new water produced from local projects and conservation pales in comparison to the amount of water the DCP can deliver during wet years,” Litchfield said. “Delivery of those large volumes of water are essential to refill storage reservoirs such as Diamond Valley Lake and vital for re- charging local groundwater basins. The stored water acts as our savings account to draw on during extended dry periods.” IEUA General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh, P.E. takes pride in the region’s diverse water supply portfolio that includes recycled Shivaji Deshmukh P.E.
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water, stormwater capture, and stored groundwater, but also about 30% from the SWP. IEUA is the only Metropolitan member in San Bernardino County and the only one that buys exclusively untreated SWP supplies. “We have to take a long-term sustainability approach. The investment now is going to help enhance our resilience when it comes to dealing with natural disasters, particularly earthquakes. The tunnel project is designed to address future water scarcity concerns, so to us that’s ensuring a stable water supply for rate- payers even in dry years,” Deshmukh said. “We believe investing in the Delta Conveyance now will avoid larger, more costly water shortages or infrastructure failures in the future, which could end up costing ratepayers more.” As both a wholesale water supplier and wastewater collection and treatment agency, IEUA prioritizes protecting public health and will continue to stay informed on statewide initiatives and maintain productive relationships with both Metropolitan and IEUA customer agencies throughout the DCP analysis process, Deshmukh said. “This work is going to give us the final blueprint,” said SGVMWD General Manager Darin Kasamoto of the pre-construction process planned for 2026-’27. “This will iron out the cost-benefit numbers. The key thing is that this isn’t a yes or no on the project. It’s a yes to keep the project moving so that we can come to a final decision.” Charley Wilson, Executive Director & CEO of the non-profit Southern California Water Coalition summed it up this way: “Think of Delta Conveyance like a house needing repair – do you aban- don it, or do you fix it? Committing to this project is not just about repairs; it’s an investment aimed at having no regrets. It’s a prom- ise to future generations for a resilient and thriving California.”
e
Do you know how to dispose of fats, oils, and greases (FOG) properly? If disposed of improperly, FOG can lead to sewer backups and household & city plumbing issues.
Can it be flushed?
Napkins Tissues Paper Towels Toilet Paper Wipes
Look for this symbol
Collect FOG in a heat safe container! Allow it to cool. Throw cooled FOG into the trash can !
1. 2. 3.
To learn more, visit IEUA.ORG
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L.A. County: Recovery Is the Hard Part
next when they try to rebuild. That is where you can offer the most assistance from the County. The task of rebuilding is daunting, and most of these folks have little or no experience dealing with the bureaucracy for permits and approvals. For most, their insurance probably doesn’t cover the cost of fees and permits, which could easily total $100,000. Nor does it cover the increased cost of compli - ance with new Title 24 building codes since their homes were originally built. Today’s requirements will simply not allow someone to replace what they had. Frankly, the Planning Department, Building and Safety and Public Works are not prepared to expedite the thousands of applications that will be submitted over the next two years either.
Below are excerpts from a letter to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors from Mike Lewis, Senior Vice President of the Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition and a former Chief Deputy to a past L.A.County Supervisor. I understand the immediate crises from the fires is time-con - suming and frustrating when all you are able to offer is words for those who have lost their homes. Comfort is not always the “action’ public officials are looking to perform. The real disaster for these homeowners is what will happen
Suggested Action I think you need to establish a special office to handle rebuilding applications. It should have dedicated staffing with designated county staff from the relevant departments, engi -
Helping Homeowners The removal of debris will become a major issue. Much of it will be designated as toxic. It will become a public health issue if it is not removed immediately. Demolition fees and
neering, fire, parks, planning, inspectors etc., along with spe - cialty private permit contractors to help manage the workload. Applicants should not have to wait months for approvals or for inspections once construction commences. There should be a 30-day deadline set for plan-checking turnaround. The County should waive all the fees—demolition, plan check, application, hook-up, school, park, etc. You may have to muscle the other public agencies including utilities (gas, water, electricity, cable) into agreeing to waive their fees as well.
permits should be waived. … FEMA money should pay for all of this and the County should contract the work out, get home- owner permission, and expedite it quickly. The special office should include specialists in all the funding opportunities such as grants and FEMA reimbursements etc. For example, AQMD should be offering these property owners grants to upgrade their appliances to zero emission as they
Continue Recovery, Page 12
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From Recovery, Page 14
runs short for any par- ticular reason. Unfor- tunately, the Colorado users are fighting over allocations, the resi- dents around Bishop want their land and their water rights back and Delta pumping is severely limited due to the Delta smelt, a tiny fish that is considered endangered and func- tionally extinct in the wild because only single
They fight every one of them. But they don’t offer any realistic alter - native. Community groups want community bene- fits with each taxpayer investment. That drives up the price, and delays every project. Bureaucratic inertia has delayed projects for years. We could be capturing twice as much
GUEST COMMENTARY
rebuild. Measure W grants for rainwater collection and treatment systems should also be considered. These upgrades are expensive and would otherwise be some- thing to avoid on top of all the other costs of rebuilding. The County also should consider incentiv- izing these property owners to rebuild with ADUs so that some additional good, in the form of additional housing, can come from this tragedy. Also, rental units that were under rent control will need to be clearly exempted from future controls or there will be no incentive whatsoever to rebuild them There needs to be a special team created to deal with the properties where the owner has chosen to walk away. Those properties could remain eyesores for years otherwise. Getting them acquired and rebuilt should be a priority. Every other similar fire area has had this problem.
The Politics of Fire and Water M ark Twain once wryly observed: “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.” Nowhere has that
become more apparent than in the kerfuffle between President Trump and Governor Newsom over the recent Palisades and Ea- ton fires. Both of them are right and both of them are wrong. Has our water system been mismanaged for the benefit of political expediency? Yes! Would more water from the north have
stormwater in local dams if we would just clean out the muck and sediment that has accumulated behind the 14 dams we control. The cities have spent less than 20% of the hundreds of mil- lions they have been given for stormwater capture projects. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has been the weapon of choice to delay or kill any project that someone disagrees with. It’s the policy equivalent of an AR-15, but no politician will touch it. Our water supply is being dictated by special interests that have no concern for the consumers who are footing the bill for everything. Those interests have the ear of the politicians, and the result is a water policy based on bias and preference rather than engineering. In comes President Trump, the disrupter and chief, and he knocks all the checkers off the table. Right or wrong, he put everyone on the defensive. The public thinks he makes sense, because, in much of it, he does. Politicians and bureaucrats ar- en’t used to being challenged in front of a TV camera. The public doesn’t understand their leaders’ explanations, or excuses. The voters have a right to think, with the billions they are paying, ev- erything should be working. Now they find out, under the worst of circumstances, it isn’t. That’s a problem for the water industry. If the public loses confidence in their plans, the money will dry up. Now is the time for the Governor and our state water leaders to sit down with the President and the federal water managers and talk openly and plainly about how we are going to fix our teetering water infrastructure and provide a long-term, reliable and resilient water supply for consumers and agriculture. Wait- ing it out isn’t an option. Mike Lewis is Senior Vice President of the Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition and a former Chief Deputy to a past Los Angeles County Supervisor.
digit numbers have been found for nearly a decade. All of those have squeezed the water supply from outside the SoCal region. It has made even more urgent the need to assure a reliable and resilient local water supply. Local leaders have proposed building pipelines and intakes from the south of the Delta to the north to take the water out before it gets to where the fish live. That’s a $20 billion project. We have proposed a $3.6 billion local project to take high- ly treated wastewater and pipe it to the foothills to increase groundwater recharge. Voters have also approved a $300 million a year tax to build stormwater capture and treatment facilities to take advantage of every drop of the little rain we get in California. Taxpayers are also providing $250 million a year to fund a flood control system that needs to be modified to capture stormwater rather than letting it go directly to the ocean. The federal government has begun funding the repair of the five local dams that could be able to hold stormwater for groundwater recharge as well. Finally, the state voters have approved billions for new dams that have yet to be built. All the local water agencies have collectively offered millions in incentives and rebates for low-flow toilets, water-saving appli - ances and irrigation systems, leak detection, rain barrels, and turf removal and replacement with drought-tolerant plantings. One thing is for sure; we can’t conserve our way out of the problem. California’s per capita water use is 85 gallons per day. In 2015, it was 150 gallons per day. The state has set a goal of 47 gallons per person. That would be the lowest in the nation. Wasting water is not the problem in Southern California. With all of that, how is it that we still have a water problem? Politics! Northerners don’t think Southerners should be taking “their” water. Even though we only take 4% of what goes through the Delta to the sea. Environmentalists don’t believe in surface storage (dams).
Mike Lewis Senior Vice President Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition
benefitted the firefighters? No! Can the Presi - dent force some changes in the decades old California water policies? Yes! Does the public understand where their water comes from? No! That last question is the reason the President is able to conflate water allocations from the north with dry fire hydrants in the Palisades, although there is little direct relationship. We have plenty of water right now. Our local reservoirs are full due to conservation and careful man- agement by our water agencies. When California Senator Rubin Ayala chaired the water committee, he often said, “People think water comes out of their wall.” In those days, droughts were rare, water was plentiful and as long as it kept flowing the details were not important to most consumers. California’s water system is a clever, aging, Rube Goldberg construct that counts on snowpack accumulating as storage in the western Sier- ras, melting slowly, refilling reservoirs that drain slowly to the Sacra - mento-San Joaquin Delta, where it is picked up by pipes and pumps and canals and lakes that send it to the desert in the south where 27 million people live. For the south, that is just 30% of their supply. Another 25% comes from the Colorado River that gets its snowmelt from the Rockies. The Los Angeles aqueduct gets its water from all the land that William Mulholland bought for the City of Los Angeles in Owens Valley near the Bishop area; drawing its water from the snowpack in the eastern Sierras. The remainder is generated locally from groundwater sourc- es (recharged from stormwater captured in local dams) and recycled/ treated wastewater. With all those sources it’s been easy to juggle supplies when one
Rebuilding Infrastructure Rebuilding the roads and reinstalling the in- frastructure should be
the county’s first priority. Repaving could take years. Repairing water lines and other utilities must be done before anyone can build. Simple question. With today’s regu- lations and policies will the gas company be allowed to reinstall their gas lines or is everybody going to be required to build all electric homes? If so, can Edison supply the considerable additional electrical capacity? This tragedy should present a unique opportunity to develop a new model for government cooperation with private prop- erty owners who are the victims of natural disasters. Defaulting back to “business as usual” is not a solution. This is the County’s opportunity to demonstrate their nimble- ness at a time when the residents need to know that you have their back when they really need it.
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