SAN JOSE, CA, May 5, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) yesterday unveiled a forward-looking action plan for investing in California's water future. The document, titled "No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water," was presented to the Schwarzenegger Administration at the opening session of the association's annual statewide spring conference at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
The ACWA Blueprint lays out a diverse mix of actions and investments to help California meet its water supply needs in the coming decades. Developed by a task force representing local public water agencies from throughout the state, the Blueprint is intended to serve as a roadmap for state and federal leaders to follow to ensure California has the water supply system it will need to support people, jobs and ecosystems in the future.
"When it comes to investing in our water future, there literally is no time to waste," ACWA President Jerry Gladbach said. "Our state continues to grow, and our needs for water are changing. We believe California can meet those needs, but only if our elected leaders and policy makers begin to make investments now in our infrastructure and continue to support local and regional efforts to improve water supplies and water management. We must do everything we can to ensure that Californians receive adequate, reliable, good quality water at a reasonable cost."
Key recommendations include improving the existing water conveyance system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta; evaluating long-term threats to Delta levees and pursuing actions to reduce risks to the state's water supply and the environment; developing additional groundwater and surface water storage; and supporting and funding local efforts to expand recycled water use, water use efficiency and desalination of seawater and brackish groundwater.
"As the local agencies that deliver water to communities, farms and businesses on a daily basis, ACWA members have a unique perspective on how to meet our future water needs," said ACWA Vice President Randy Fiorini, who chaired the task force that developed the Blueprint. "Over the past decade, there has been tremendous progress at the local and regional levels to improve the management of our water supplies. That progress will continue. But we see a clear role for our state and federal leaders to do their part by investing in our statewide backbone infrastructure so we will have the capacity and the flexibility to complement local efforts and meet the diverse water needs of the future."
The Blueprint reflects extensive input from hundreds of public water agencies as well as other water-related organizations. Copies of the document are being sent this week to members of the Legislature and Congress as well as the Schwarzenegger Administration, the Bush Administration and statewide opinion leaders. The document also is being delivered to state and federal agencies involved in water supply and regulatory policy.
"ACWA's hope is that the Blueprint will help frame the discussion and decision-making required to ensure California's water future for decades to come," Fiorini said.
To read the Blueprint and learn more about its development, see: "No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water".
ACWA is a statewide association whose 440 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com
.
###
