STATE ANNOUNCES 10 PERCENT INITIAL STATE WATER PROJECT ALLOCATION
Ongoing Drought Emphasizes Need to Modernize State Water Delivery System
Los Angeles, CA – The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced an initial allocation of 10 percent for water agencies who receive water from the State Water Project, which supplies about 30 percent of Southern California’s water. This allocation is the first estimate for 2016, and could change depending on the amount of rain and snow received during the winter and spring. Ten percent of water deliveries is among the lowest recorded allocations, as California approaches a fifth year of unprecedented drought. Water agencies that receive water from the State Water Project provide water to 26 million people, businesses and farms throughout the state.
The low allocation emphasizes the need to ensure a more reliable water system. Actions are currently underway to modernize our state’s water delivery system through California WaterFix. SCWC recently released two infographics explaining the importance of the project which would ensure safe water supply, promote supply reliability, support drought protection and prepare for climate change.
“It will take more than the possibility of a wet winter to make up for four consecutive dry years. We need a modern water system that allows us to capture water when it’s available so we can store enough water to protect us during the dry periods. California WaterFix supports drought protection, allowing agencies to move more water to storage and safeguard water supplies for the future. The current delivery system is vulnerable to earthquakes and natural disasters, and if we don’t modernize our state’s water delivery system, we risk losing 30 percent of California’s water supply. In the meantime, Californians must keep conserving.”
Rich Atwater
Executive Director
Southern California Water Committee
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Established in 1984, the Southern California Water Committee 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. Visit us at www.socalwater.org and find us on Facebook.