LOS ANGELES, CA, MARCH 26, 2020 -- The nation’s largest treated water supply district, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, is isolating workers, citing health concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg Environment reports.
Regular scheduled maintenance work has stopped and some crews are on paid leave awaiting assignment in case working employees get Covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. Facilities are sanitized between shifts and the water district, to weekend levels even on weekdays.
The district, which delivers water to 26 public agencies serving 19 million Californians, has cut on-site staffing in half, stopped scheduled maintenance work and asked employees on paid leave to self-isolate in case they need to be called in as backup during this time.
The district’s Board of Directors has also granted Executive Director Jeffrey Kightlinger broad authority, allowing him to make emergency decisions without receiving prior board approval.
In a statement about its response to the pandemic, the district said, "To address the concerns about COVID-19, Metropolitan has taken several steps to protect the health of its employees, minimize potential exposure and avoid widespread impacts to our workforce. Metropolitan has also ensured it has the necessary backup equipment, supplies and treatment chemicals in the event of disruptions to the supply chain for these items. Metropolitan also continues to build its already robust supply of water in storage."
