Contact Information: Contact: Jennifer Persike ACWA Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs 916/441-4545 916/296-3981 (cell)
Low Water Allocations Point to Severe Challenges in 2009
Water Agencies Brace for Shortages as Drought, Regulatory Issues Cut Supplies
| Source: Association of California Water Agencies
SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - February 20, 2009) - Association of California Water Agencies
(ACWA) Executive Director Timothy Quinn issued the following statement
today on the 2009 water supply allocations announced by the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources. The Bureau
announced that some agricultural contractors stand to receive no water
deliveries this year, while municipal contractors can count on receiving a
50% supply. DWR said urban and agricultural customers of the State Water
Project stand to receive just 15% of requested supplies, among the lowest
forecasts ever. The allocations may be updated based on conditions in the
coming weeks.
"As expected, the outlook for water deliveries is grim and will put local
water agencies in critical territory this year. As water agencies continue
to deplete their reserves, more and more Californians will face tighter
restrictions on water use, including mandatory conservation, rationing and
higher costs for water. We're in a new era, and Californians are going to
have to rethink the way they use water, not just during this drought but
from this day forward.
"Extremely low reservoirs make it clear we are in a drought, but there is
more at work than back-to-back dry years. We have a water supply system
that simply cannot support everything we are trying to do today, whether
it's protecting species, adapting to climate change or meeting the needs of
a growing population. Layering on a three-year drought just magnifies the
problem.
"It becomes more urgent every day that we move immediately to implement a
long-term solution that works for the environment and the economy. If we
had already made the investments in infrastructure recommended by Delta
Vision, we would be having a very different conversation today. We could
have significantly more water in storage south of the Delta, a more
resilient system to deal with current drought conditions, and a much better
outlook for the environment and our ability to reduce or avoid the dire
economic consequences that California will experience in 2009."
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are
responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more
information, visit www.acwa.com.