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
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million people in our service area.” The Metropolitan vote followed
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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.”
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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 !
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To learn more, visit IEUA.ORG
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