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Water deal leaves bad taste; California transfers contaminated groundwater in drinking water supply for millions

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 11, 2008 at 10:17 am

From the California Progress Report:

Last week, the California Department of Water Resources announced that it will allow contaminated groundwater to be pumped into the California Aqueduct, which supplies water to millions of Californians, in order to deliver more water to the Westlands Water District in the San Joaquin Valley.

Because the groundwater in question contains high levels of salts, nitrates and selenium, DWR would normally prohibit its transfer within the California Aqueduct. However, due to the Governor’s emergency declaration in June, DWR will make an exception and allow 20,000 acre feet of this groundwater to be transferred, even though it will degrade the water supplies of areas such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside.

In addition to the transfer of millions of gallons of contaminated water via the California Aqueduct, the Westlands Water District is receiving help from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). MWD announced that it would lend 25,000 acre feet of water to the Westlands Water District this summer. (This announcement came just weeks after Metropolitan Water District, which also serves Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside, instituted a “Water Supply Alert” calling for extraordinary water conservation.) Written agreements require Westlands Water District to “pay back” the lent water by October. However, the Westlands Water District may have trouble making good on those terms if the dry spell of the past two years extends to this fall and winter.

Read more from the California Progress Report by clicking here.

July 11, 2008 · Filed Under Water Quality, Water Transfers

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