Recycling Key to Sound Water Management
It’s difficult to believe that with all the rain we’ve received this season, water remains a hot commodity in Southern California. Ensuring a safe, secure water supply is an effort that needs support from all levels of government. Managing that supply with vigilance and technology will help it go further and help consumers. Recently, I re-introduced the Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative which consists of two projects. The first will be constructed by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) and will produce 90,000 acre-feet of new water annually. The second, to be constructed by the Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD), will produce an additional 5,000 acre feet of new water annually. Between these two projects, 95,000 acre feet of new water will be produced annually before the end of the decade.
With the recent passage of the CalFed authorization, we should build on that achievement and continue to approve measures preventing water supply shortages in the Western United States. It’s also imperative that we balance our water needs with relief for customers who are stuck paying for expensive imported water. The Inland Empire region is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation. Reducing our dependence on imported water from the Colorado River and northern California will have significant regional benefits including reduced water shortages, energy savings, improved water quality, and job creation. The passage of the Inland Empire Water Recycling Initiative will continue the federal-local partnership to bring a significant amount of new water supply to the region.
The IEUA produces recycled water for a variety of non-potable purposes, such as landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, construction, and industrial cooling. By replacing these water-intensive applications with high-quality recycled water, fresh water can be conserved or used for drinking, thereby reducing the dependence on expensive imported water. The Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative has the support of all member agencies of IEUA, as well as the water agencies downstream in Orange County.
Working together with my colleagues, Grace Napolitano, Ken Calvert, Gary Miller, and Joe Baca, all cosponsors of the Inland Empire Water Recycling Initiative, I am confident we will achieve success. I am also grateful for the hard work and dedication of Mr. Robert DeLoach, General Manager of the Cucamonga Valley Water District, and Mr. Rich Atwater, CEO and General Manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, who both work tirelessly on behalf of the Inland Empire.
