Metropolitan Statement on Initiation of Single Delta Tunnel Environmental Review

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement on the Notice of Preparation issued by the California Department of Water Resources to initiate the environmental review process for a single-tunnel conveyance solution in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:

“Metropolitan welcomes progress on this long-overdue upgrade to the statewide water delivery system, which will better prepare California for climate change and result in more environmentally sensitive management of the Delta. There is simply no way for California to prepare for the future without a water system in the Delta that can safely and reliably capture peak storm flows when they happen. The project described in the NOP will support a sustainable and resilient water supply for the state, while protecting the Delta’s ecosystem. Metropolitan appreciates the efforts by the Newsom Administration to advance a balanced and comprehensive portfolio of water actions, including Delta conveyance. We hope this process provides urgency for this project that will resolve a water system problem that has faced California for decades.”

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provide water for nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.