LOS ANGELES, CA, Feb. 29, 2008 -- Timothy F. Brick, chairman of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement regarding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's letter to the state Senate leadership addressing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:
"Gov. Schwarzenegger has outlined the kind of comprehensive path to a fix in the Delta that both the ecosystem and water system need. This is not a problem that will be solved with a single solution. The Delta needs more habitat, improved levees, better land use protections and a smarter way to move water supplies that is in harmony with the estuary.
"The public needs an open process that examines the range of options so that there is confidence in the eventual package of solutions. We need to maintain a bipartisan approach and continued leadership from the Legislature and the governor in solving the water problems we face. The strategy outlined by the governor is moving the Delta process in all the right directions.
"Metropolitan welcomes the governor's call for all Californians to be wiser users of water. With the governor initiating what is hopefully a fruitful discussion, we can create a legacy in water conservation to match his and the Legislature's efforts addressing climate change.
"In Metropolitan's six-county service area, per-capita water use has declined dramatically since 1990, allowing the region to meet its current water needs with the same amount of imported water used nearly 20 years ago, even though our population has grown by more than 4 million people. While urban Southern California is ahead of most other regions of the state, an approach that identifies local opportunities and creates incentives to promote conservation would be particularly effective."
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 18 million people in six counties.
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Also see:
-- "ACWA urges legislature to continue work on water solutions"
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