Metropolitan Statement on Reduction of State Water Project Allocation to 5 Percent

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement regarding the reduction of Metropolitan’s State Water Project allocation from 10 percent to 5 percent due to ongoing dry conditions:

“The state’s deteriorating water supply conditions reinforce the need to maintain the lower water use we have seen among Southern Californians since the last drought. This water conservation ethic, combined with Metropolitan’s investments in storage and a more flexible system, has allowed us to build a record high level of reserves that will help us manage through this critically dry year.

“California’s existing water system, however, isn’t prepared for the extremes brought by future climate change that may arrive sooner than later. We need reinvestments in our water infrastructure to ensure the reliability of our imported supplies and new investments in local supply development.”

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provide water for 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.