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Tim Brick commentary: Era of cheap water is over

Posted by: Maven on May 24, 2009 at 10:50 am

From the Pasadena Star News, this commentary by Tim Brick, chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

For the first time in 18 years, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will not deliver full supplies of imported water to its 26 member agencies in our six-county service area, including the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.

Our supplies are down after three below-average years of rainfall and tightening environmental restrictions for our supplies from Northern California delivered to us through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. And our costs are up, primarily from coping with the problems in the Delta, such as paying to find replacement water at high market prices.

Our situation is hardly unique. Climate change and environmental challenges are driving fundamental changes to water planning throughout the arid Southwest. Overall, we will be using less water and paying more for it along the way. The era of cheap water is coming to an end.

What is achievable for Southern California, however, is a reliable, sustainable and reasonably priced water supply. This means investing now in our future, while watching closely the bottom line along the way.

Read more of Tim Brick’s commentary in the Pasadena Star-News by clicking here.

May 24, 2009 · Filed Under Conservation, Southern California

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