SCWC Hosts Public Workshop on Urban Water Management Plans
September 21, 2011
Los Angeles, CA – Furthering its commitment to educating Southern Californians about the region’s water needs and state’s water resources, the Southern California Water Committee (SCWC), a leading voice for regional collaboration on water issues, will host a public workshop this Friday, September 23, in Los Angeles to provide urban water suppliers with expert technical and legal guidance on urban water management plans (UWMPs), which serve as fundamental blueprints for managing local and regional water supplies.
Under California law, all urban water suppliers, including public water agencies and municipalities, that provide water to 3,000 or more connections, or that provide more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually, must prepare and update an UWMP every five years. The purpose is to ensure urban water suppliers have adequate water supplies for existing and future demands. Recent legislation (SBX7-7) also calls for all water suppliers to increase water use efficiency and reduce water use by 20 percent by December 31, 2020. Plans must identify and discuss various factors affecting current and projected water supplies and demand, and must identify steps being taken to ensure the availability and reliability of future supplies. Urban water supplies must describe and evaluate all sources of water supply (such as surface, recycled, groundwater), efficient uses of water and conservation programs, and strategies and schedules for implementation. Water suppliers submitted their plans for review to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in July 2011.
This is the 4th in a series of successful and popular public workshops that the SCWC has held throughout the Southern California region as a benefit to its members and the general public.
Given water suppliers have now submitted their plans, this week’s workshop will focus on the submittal process, DWR’s assessment of those submittals and lessons learned from a variety of interesting case studies.
The event will bring together some of the foremost experts in the field, including representatives from the following organizations:
• CA Department of Water Resources
• Best Best & Krieger
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• Mojave Water Agency
• Kern County Water Agency
• Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
• LA Department of Water and Power
• Irvine Ranch Water District
• Western Municipal Water District
• Coachella Valley Water District
• Kidman, Behrens & Tague
“Southern California Water Committee has successfully gathered some of the state’s most preeminent experts on urban water management plans and provided a forum for exchanging recommendations and insights for regional water suppliers,” said Jill Willis, partner with Best Best & Krieger and chair of SCWC’s Urban Water Planning Task Force. “Giving the legal and technical complexities and importance of preparing these legislatively mandated reports, this is a unique and valuable opportunity to hear first-hand the lessons learned from 2011 and where we go in the future.”
To RSVP or obtain more information on the workshop, download the Event Flyer. SCWC also published an informational fact sheet on UWMPs.
“Preparing urban water management plans, is one of the most important planning efforts undertaken by public water agencies and municipalities in Southern California,” said Rich Atwater, executive director for SCWC. “We look forward to hosting another successful and well-attended event this week and encourage our members and the public to participate.”
SCWC thanks Best Best & Krieger and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for helping sponsor this event.
SCWC’s Urban Water Planning Task Force has taken a leading role in developing and managing this workshop series and the accompanying guidance for SCWC members, and will continue its important work on water supply planning for Southern California.
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER COMMITTEE