May 5, 2023
The West Basin Municipal Water District hosted a water issues forum for elected officials and representatives to engage directly with its urban water managers and hear first-hand about the key issues facing our communities and the water industry. The May 5th event, held at the District’s Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility in El Segundo, focused on “Water for Tomorrow: Working Together to Ensure Regional Water Reliability.”
Board President and Division IV Director Scott Houston, along with Division I Director Harold C. Williams, and Division III Director and Vice President Desi Alvarez were on hand to welcome over two dozen attendees from across the service area including city council members, school board members and county representatives. President Houston’s opening remarks emphasized the timeliness of the forum as the state faces climate change whiplash and ongoing weather challenges. “Even with the improved water supply and drought conditions this year,” said Houston, “we must all continue to forge a united path toward future water resiliency. Our hope is that through discussion and dialogue, our officials can help West Basin identify further opportunities for collaboration.”
Presentations, followed by questions and answers, covered current drought conditions, major upcoming water reuse projects, sustainable groundwater management, and general water issues within the community at large. Presentations were presented by:
- John Bednarski, Chief Engineer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Stephan Tucker, General Manager, Water Replenishment District
- Timeyin Dafeta, Executive Hyperion Plant Manager, Los Angeles City Sanitation & Environment
- Delon Kwan, Assistant Director of Water Resources, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
- E.J. Caldwell, Acting General Manager, West Basin Municipal Water District.
In addition to the issues forum, West Basin continues to reach out to its publics to ensure strong local and regional collaboration as the District builds resiliency in the face of changing climate conditions.
