CA WaterFix - New Plan, Same Essential Goal

by Gary Toebben

With a month left before winter turns to spring, California once again finds itself in a familiar situation - a dry winter, marked by heat and fires and a return to drought conversations. Today, the State Water Board is expected to permanently adopt regulations to reinstate water conservation practices that were allowed to expire in 2017 after plentiful rain and snow last winter.

California cannot continue to depend on boom or bust when it comes to water policy, waiting to see what every winter brings. We need a consistent and reliable long-term plan for water delivery and security. That is why the recent announcement on the updated plan for the California WaterFix is so important. After receiving approval from 12 public water agencies last fall, including our own Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced an updated plan to phase in construction of the tunnels in a manner that aligns with available funding.

By phasing construction, with the first tunnel providing two-thirds of the project's conveyance capacity, the California WaterFix is poised to move forward with a smaller initial investment after nearly a decade of studies. An economic analysis released last week showed this phased in approach could net $2 to $4 billion in benefits for urban agencies. Meanwhile, conversations can continue with stakeholders on the funding strategy for the second tunnel and regions across the state can continue their plans for more conservation, groundwater cleanup and water recycling.

In the coming months, public water agencies will finalize their level of participation. Then, DWR and participating public water agencies will set up a joint powers authority (JPA) to oversee the design and construction of the project. In a best case scenario, construction could begin at the end of the year.

I cannot overstate the importance of implementing the CA WaterFix to stabilize the fragile, deteriorating San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, both for the environment and the future water reliability of 25 million Californians. Millions of California jobs and millions of acres of farmland depend on water reliability.

Let’s be clear- conservation, recycling and storm water recapturing are important but they will not be enough to secure the future of the 5th largest economy in the world. The CA WaterFix is the foundation of a reliable, safe and clean water supply for future generations who live and work in California.

And that's The Business Perspective.