Should Central Basin MWD OptOut of the California
Should Central Basin MWD Opt-Out of the California Water. Fix?
Who We Are Our mission is to save the San Francisco Bay. Delta estuary for our children and future Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla generations. Executive Director Barbara@Restorethe. Delta. org (209)Barrigan-Parrilla 479 -9550 Barbara Executive Director Barbara@Restorethe. Delta. org (209) 475 -9550
Risks of opting-in to the Delta Tunnels: • Risks that arise in these contexts: ü ü ü legal, organizational/management intergenerational water supply environmental economic/fiscal scientific social • Impacts/consequences beyond Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s member agencies
Risky Financial Future • Will Agricultural Water Districts Commit? • Joint Powers Authority and Private-Public Partnerships (P 3) • Who will pay for cost overruns? A cautionary tale: 1) Seattle Big Dig 2) Central Coast Water Authority • Water Rates Cost comparisons: Delta Tunnels vs Alternative Water Supply Efficiency Projects
Source: Westlands Water District Board meeting materials, August 9, 2017
What happens if you opt-out of the Delta Tunnels?
What opting-out won’t do: • Lead to water grab at your agency’s expense • Undermine or change the amount of water you are legally entitled to under contract • Put member agencies at risk of an earthquake that will disrupt water supply – No major active fault within 60 miles of the Delta – Other facilities near Los Angeles and the South Bay are at far greater risk • Put member agencies at risk for climate change impacts
What is an Environmental Justice community? Examples in the Delta
Water. Fix Health Impacts on EJ Communities ü Toxic algal blooms ü Construction or operational impacts ü Accumulating contaminants ü Fish contamination ü Degraded water quality What will be the perception that Southern California took the best water & left this behind?
Benefits Opting-Out: Whoof. We Are • No injury to the Delta’s drinking water supply and its Environmental Justice communities • Protection to not only the Delta’s environment and economy, but the entire state’s Storm water capture, Groundwater recovery, Reclamation/recycling anyone? • Savings for member agencies that complement Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla policies and programs that promote regional self. Executive Director sufficiency Barbara@Restorethe. Delta. org (209) 479 -9550
Who We Are “Water districts should understand that a yes vote to Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla fund the Delta Executive Tunnels. Director issues a multi-generational Barbara@Restorethe. Delta. org commitment to(209) a project 479 -9550 situated in a watershed whose runoff and supplies are expected to decline with climate change through the 21 st century. ”
- Slides: 13