Charley Wilson, Executive Director of the Southern California Water Coalition, has praised the voluntary, collaborative conservation plan announced by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, which aims to conserve 3 million acre-feet over the next three years to protect the Colorado River system.
Wilson emphasized the importance of this voluntary action for Southern California, stating that “After a tough couple of years, we’re having a deluge of promising news when it comes to California water. Southern California depends on striking the right equilibrium between vital water supplies from the Colorado River, the State Water Project and through local supplies such as recycled water, desalination, and groundwater and increased water use efficiency. This conservation plan, created through collaboration and not litigation, is critical to securing our water future.”
“At the end of the day, it’s all about balance. As a state and a region, we need to manage our water resources responsibly to ensure that we have enough water to meet our needs today and in the future. This consensus-based deal struck by the three governors and supported by all seven states is an essential step to help this critical resource and ensure that our communities have a reliable, safe water supply,” Wilson continued.
In addition to the conservation plan, other projects like the modernization of the State Water Project and Pure Water Southern California can aid in securing the area’s future water supply. The State Water Project modernization involves upgrades to the infrastructure to improve water delivery efficiencies, while Pure Water Southern California is a water recycling project that produces high-quality drinking water from treated wastewater.
The Lower Basin Plan has been submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation with all seven Colorado River Basin states supporting its evaluation as an action alternative within the Near-Term Colorado River Operations Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS). The letter from the three governors to the U.S. Department of the Interior is at this link.
Established in 1984, the Southern California Water Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public education partnership dedicated to informing Southern Californians about our water needs and our state’s water resources. Spanning Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Ventura and Kern counties, the SCWC’s members include representatives from business, government, agriculture, water agencies, labor and the general public.