Metropolitan Board votes to invest in New infrastructure, partnerships

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (MWD) Board of Directors voted this week to approve additional infrastructure investments, water transfer options and alternate delivery programs to improve resiliency and preserve limited State Water Project supplies for member agencies in the western portions of its service area that depend most on this drought-stricken water source, including parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

“We are now in the third year of a severe drought that is challenging our mission to ensure every community in Southern California has the same level of water reliability,” said Metropolitan board Chairwoman Gloria D. Gray. “We have taken several steps to improve water reliability in areas that depend on the State Water Project over the past two years, and our latest actions will build on those efforts. As we pursue these projects, we need everyone to keep saving as much water as possible.”

The proposal incorporates several potential infrastructure projects into MWD’s Capital Investment Plan to explore how to boost operational flexibility and water delivery capabilities so SWP-dependent agencies in the western portion of its service can access other sources of water. The board also authorized $700,000 in funding to conduct a feasibility analysis to examine projects that could include local water supply development, groundwater or surface water storage, and interconnecting infrastructure between agencies to increase the flexibility of water systems.

MWD also will examine the feasibility of expanding its Greg Avenue Pump Station to increase the capacity of Colorado River water and water stored in Diamond Valley Lake that could be pumped to SWP-dependent areas, and building new pumping facilities along its Sepulveda Feeder to push Colorado River water and DVL supplies further into the western portion of its service area.

“All of these projects will improve our water delivery system to be more resilient, integrated and flexible so that we can quickly adapt to challenging conditions, including future droughts,” said Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil. “We are one region, so when we invest in our infrastructure, all of Southern California benefits.”