Articles from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Metropolitan Water District General Manager Deven Upadhyay issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ fourth snow survey of the season:

As farmers across Palo Verde Valley reduce irrigation on portions of their land to conserve water and help stabilize the Colorado River, the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors this week took action to mitigate the impact of that temporary land fallowing and strengthen the greater Palo Verde Valley community.

Metropolitan Water District Interim General Manager Deven Upadhyay issues the following statement regarding the Department of Water Resources first snow survey of the season:

A project that will make Southern California more resilient to climate change by purifying and reusing cleaned wastewater will receive a second infusion of funds from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Adán Ortega, Jr. will remain at the helm of Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors through 2026 following a unanimous vote today by the board to reelect him as chair.

Metropolitan Water District’s program to create a new water supply for Southern California by purifying water currently being sent to the ocean received a funding boost today from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Metropolitan Water District General Manager Adel Hagekhalil issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ release today of the cost estimate and benefit-cost analysis for the Delta Conveyance Project:

Four Southern California projects in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties that showcase the latest in water efficiency and together will save more than 200 million gallons of water annually were recognized today by the Metropolitan Water District.

A week after its governing board adopted a financially responsible two-year budget, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has once again earned excellent credit ratings from two of the nation’s top rating agencies.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ first snow survey of the season:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the State Water Resources Control Board adoption of regulations on direct potable reuse:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ release today of the final Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project:

After three years of construction, the first stage of a critical new groundwater storage project is complete and water is flowing into storage, significantly increasing Southern California’s water supply reliability in the face of a rapidly changing climate. Officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency celebrated the key milestone today.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. issues the following statement on the death of San Fernando Councilwoman Cindy Montañez:

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on Gov. Newsom’s signing of AB1572, legislation co-sponsored by Metropolitan to prohibit the use of potable water to irrigate grass that is not used for recreation or other purposes – also known as non-functional turf – on commercial, industrial, municipal and institutional properties.

Metropolitan Water District Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. and General Manager Adel Hagekhalil have issued the following statement on the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the State Water Board’s release of its draft staff report and Substitute Environmental Document for the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, which includes proposed Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, also known as the Voluntary Agreements. The agreements will be considered by the State Water Board in its update of the Bay-Delta Plan.

Millions of Southern Californians who were required to dramatically reduce their water use last year will have increased access to water supplies in the future under two projects advanced today by Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

Two new directors representing Foothill Municipal Water District and the city of Los Angeles were seated today on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Thanks to the responsible management of its finances and resources, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has once again received excellent credit ratings from the nation’s top rating agencies. Following recent rating actions by S&P of AAA/stable and Moody’s of Aa1/stable for Metropolitan's recent $258.4 million Series 2023A revenue bond transaction, Fitch Ratings announced last week a AA+/stable rating for Metropolitan.

A majority of Southern California consumers are concerned about the availability and safety of their drinking water, and about half are willing to pay higher rates for investments that address supply issues, according to a recent Metropolitan Water District survey.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement to provide $38 million for Southern California water efficiency projects:

Six businesses and municipalities throughout Southern California were recognized by the Metropolitan Water District today for their investments in large-scale water-efficiency projects that together will save more than 1 billion gallons of water over the next decade.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California issues the following statements on the submission of a consensus Lower Basin Plan to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as an action alternative under the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for revised interim operation of the Colorado River through 2026:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California today released its inaugural Climate Action Plan report, detailing its progress over the past year on a suite of measures designed to help the district achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ announcement to increase the State Water Project allocation to 100%:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the Bureau of Reclamation’s release today of a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for near-term operations of the Colorado River:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has launched its latest round of conservation advertising on the world’s largest digital billboard to amplify the critical need for Southern Californians to continue saving water.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announced changes to drought declaration and the California Department of Water Resources’ announced increase of the State Water Project allocation to 75 percent:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will no longer mandate emergency restrictions on water use for nearly 7 million people after winter storms helped alleviate shortage conditions that severely limited the availability of state water supplies, the Board of Directors decided Tuesday (March 14).

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resource’s announcement to increase the State Water Project allocation to 35 percent.

Scott Suzuki, who has 22 years of auditing experience assessing and improving organizations in both the public and private sector, has been named the general auditor of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ announced increase of the State Water Project allocation to 30 percent:

Construction will begin soon on the first of several projects to bring additional water to Southern California communities hit hardest by the state’s record drought, following a vote by Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors this week to award a contract for the project’s construction.

Adán Ortega, Jr. took the helm today of Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors as the 20th chair and first Latino to lead the board in the district’s 95-year history.

Deven Upadhyay, executive officer and assistant general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ first snow survey of the season:

Preparing for a fourth consecutive dry year, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors has declared a Regional Drought Emergency for all of Southern California and called upon water agencies to immediately reduce their use of all imported supplies.

As part of its broad push to reduce its carbon footprint to address climate change, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California today launched a new dashboard that allows the public to view the district’s progress in meeting ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ initial State Water Project allocation of 5 percent, plus additional supplies to meet health and safety needs:

With drought and climate change stressing water availability, the Metropolitan Water District is taking steps to eliminate an all-too-common sight in Southern California that uses up valuable water resources – ornamental grass that serves no recreational or community purpose – grass known as non-functional turf.

Water policy and strategic communications consultant Adán Ortega today was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the primary water importer and wholesaler for 19 million people in six counties.

The majority of Metropolitan Water District’s construction projects over the next five years will now be covered by a landmark collective bargaining agreement with labor unions and construction contractors – known as a Project Labor Agreement – following a vote today by the agency’s board of directors.

Several Metropolitan projects critical to ensuring reliable water supplies for Southern California in the face of drought and climate change will receive $130 million in state funding, as a result of legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Residents and businesses in portions of Los Angeles County can resume limited watering outdoors – with conservation clearly in mind – after the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California completed urgent repairs on a major pipeline ahead of schedule, the agency announced today.

Residents and businesses in dozens of communities across Los Angeles County were urged today to eliminate all outdoor watering for 15 days starting next Tuesday (Sept. 6), while a critical water delivery pipeline is shut down for emergency repairs.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

Continuing on its path to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace, Metropolitan Water District leaders this week convened its first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum focused on creating a strong sense of belonging for all.

With extreme drought placing unprecedented stress on the region’s water delivery system and supply availability that prompted shortages for 6 million Southern Californians this year, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors is committing to providing its entire six-county service area with reliable and equitable access to available water and storage across the region.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the Bureau of Reclamation’s announcement today on the Basin States’ effort to develop a plan to reduce demands on the Colorado River by 2 to 4 million acre-feet:

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 6, residents and businesses in portions of greater Los Angeles County are being called on to suspend outdoor watering for 15 days as a critical imported water pipeline is shut down for emergency repairs. The Metropolitan Water District is joined by its member agencies and local retail water agencies in the water-saving call to stretch Southern California’s severely limited water supplies as Metropolitan repairs this pipeline.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Gloria D. Gray, chairwoman of Metropolitan’s Board of Directors, issue the following statement on initiatives advanced by Governor Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency to counter water impacts caused by California’s warming climate:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Gloria D. Gray, chairwoman of Metropolitan’s Board of Directors, issue the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $4 billion for drought relief programs in the Colorado River Basin and elsewhere.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Gloria D. Gray, chairwoman of Metropolitan’s Board of Directors, issue the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ release of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Delta Conveyance Project:

As Southern California faces the most challenging drought in its history, two new studies highlight the value and wide-ranging success of Metropolitan Water District’s Turf Replacement Program, which gives cash rebates to residents who swap their water-guzzling lawns for more water-efficient California Friendly® and native plants.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has officially joined a movement to increase equity in the nation’s infrastructure construction economy and help build generational wealth in underrepresented communities across the country.

A new, large-scale local water supply in development for the region is getting a new name – Pure Water Southern California. The water recycling project, being developed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (Sanitation Districts), has for years been known as the Regional Recycled Water Program.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on U.S Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton’s testimony today before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on the severity of the Colorado River drought and need for short- and long-term drought solutions across the West:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the State Water Resources Control Board’s release today of the latest statewide conservation numbers indicating an increase in water use:

Local water providers serving about one-third of Southern California will begin mandating emergency drought restrictions today to stretch the region’s severely limited water supplies until the end of the year.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the State Water Resources Control Board adoption today of emergency conservation regulations in response to the drought, including a ban on using potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf in commercial, industrial and institutional sectors:

As part of a broad push toward greater environmental sustainability, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors today voted to approve a set of strategies to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

One-third of Southern Californians face new restrictions limiting outdoor watering to one day a week under an unprecedented action taken by the Metropolitan Water District to dramatically reduce water use in communities most affected by the state’s historic drought.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has named its first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer to head a new office created to propel and support a positive workplace for employees across the district.

A two-year budget that strikes a balance between investing in reliable water supplies for Southern California while managing rates to address rising operational costs and reduced revenues due to lower water sales and severe drought was adopted by Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ final snowpack survey of the season:

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on Gov. Newsom’s executive order today addressing extreme and expanding drought conditions:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has hired its first Chief Equal Employment Opportunity officer to help implement a suite of changes that builds and reaffirms a workplace culture of inclusion, respect, safety and accountability, the agency announced today.

Facing another year of extremely limited water supplies from the Northern Sierra, state and local water leaders today called on Southern Californians to significantly reduce their water use, particularly outdoors, where more than half of all residential water is typically used.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

Environmental leader and former Los Angeles infrastructure director Liz Crosson will help the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California implement an aggressive agenda to reduce its carbon footprint and strengthen its resiliency to climate change, the agency announced today.

Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the California Department of Water Resources’ announcement to decrease the State Water Project allocation to 5 percent.