• Water Authority recently commended by County Grand Jury
CARLSBAD, CA, Oct. 5, 2007 -- GEI Consultants, a geotechnical, environmental, water resources and ecological science and engineering consulting firm, announced today that its client, the San Diego County Water Authority, has been commended by the San Diego County Grand Jury for its efforts to provide a reliable water supply in the event of the interruption of imported water deliveries.
GEI has been assisting the Water Authority on the Emergency Storage Project (ESP) since 1992, including investigating a wide range of potential alternatives to meet the County's water needs should an earthquake sever the water supply arteries that bring up to ninety percent of the County's water from the State Water project and the Colorado River Aqueduct.
"We are honored that the Grand Jury has called the ESP 'an insurance policy' for the citizens and economy of San Diego County," said Ken Steele, engineering manager at the Water Authority. "GEI truly 'partnered for progress' in this effort and we continue to work together to tackle the challenging task of ensuring the County's water supply needs are met today and well into the future."
The ESP is a system of reservoirs, pipelines, and other facilities that connect existing sources of water in San Diego County. When completed, the project will enable water to flow through the system for up to six months, even in the event a disaster disrupts the region's imported water supply. The ESP, scheduled for completion in 2013, will provide an additional 90,100 acre-feet of emergency water storage capacity and provide for the County's emergency needs through 2030.
"The Water Authority takes its mission to provide a safe and reliable water supply to one of the fastest growing counties in the United States very seriously," said Tom Keller, P.E., G.E., vice president at GEI Consultants. "We have enjoyed working with the Water Authority and are pleased the County Grand Jury has recognized the hard work involved in creating the ESP."
GEI developed and implemented an alternatives selection process that resulted in successful permitting of the project, was praised by regulatory agencies, and received the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California (CELSOC) engineering excellence honor award.
The San Diego County Water Authority is a public agency serving the San Diego region as a wholesale supplier of water from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Water Authority works through its 24 member agencies to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region's $150 billion economy and the quality of life of 3 million residents.
GEI's multi-disciplined engineers and scientists deliver geotechnical, environmental, integrated water resources, dam engineering, and ecological solutions to diverse clientele nationwide and locally.
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