State Comprehensive Water Program Will Be Wednesday Forum Topic in Riverside


RIVERSIDE, CA--(Marketwire - April 13, 2010) -  All the many aspects of the recently enacted California Comprehensive Water Package will be explained and discussed tomorrow afternoon -- Wednesday, April 14 -- in Riverside during a special informational and educational water forum. The program is the sixth in a statewide series. It is free of charge to the public and will take place at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, 3485 Mission Inn Avenue, from 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Forum hosts include the California Latino Water Coalition (CLWC), Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and State of California.

The informational forum will explain the comprehensive water package's four policy bills that were enacted along with an $11.14 billion general obligation bond proposal that voters will consider on the November 2010 ballot.

Speaking on various aspects of the potentially far-reaching plan will be Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge; Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione; Association of California Water Agencies Vice President Randy Record; and Al Lopez, Inland Empire Chair of the California Latino Water Coalition.

Sue Sims, California Department of Water Resources Chief Deputy Director, will provide an overview of the water package. Also speaking will be Southern California Water Committee Interim Executive Director Ron Gastelum, Kevin Milligan, Assistant General Manager - Water, for the City of Riverside Public Utilities; Anthony Pack, General Manager, Eastern Municipal Water District; and John Rossi, General Manager, Western Municipal Water District.

A question and answer period will follow.

"These forums were conceived as a means of helping educate Californians about the package's legislative measures on the state's water quality, supply and reliability," said ACWA Vice President Record. "There is no question that the issues addressed in the comprehensive program and which are going to be discussed in the Inland Empire are profoundly important to the future of all of Southern California."

For more information, please call (916) 503-1411.

To RSVP, please call (916) 503-1411 or e-mail Brenda Quintana at bquintana@latinowater.com or Jennifer Persike at jenniferp@acwa.com. You may also visit our Web sites, www.latinowater.com or www.acwa.com.

Your advance coverage and day-of-event coverage are welcomed. At the forum, there will be opportunities to interview each of the speakers following the presentations.

Contact Information:

TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE CONTACT:

Peter Odencrans, Eastern Municipal Water District, (951) 928-3777
Brenda Quintana, California Latino Water Coalition, (916) 503-1411
Jennifer Persike, Association of California Water Agencies, (916) 441-4545