WRD Selected to Receive $300,000 in Federal Reclamation Funding to Help Improve Water Reliability Supplies in South Los Angeles County

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Water Replenishment District of Southern California

Aug 20, 2010, 06:40 ET

LAKEWOOD, Calif., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) was selected to receive a $300,000 United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) WaterSMART System Optimization Review (Review) grant for the development of WRD's Groundwater Basin Master Plan.

A System Optimization Review is a broad look at system-wide efficiency focused on improving efficiency and operations of a water delivery system, water district, or water basin. The Review results in a plan of action that focuses on improving efficiency and operations on a regional and basin perspective.

The funds will allow WRD to examine the West Coast and Central Groundwater Basins (Basins) of Los Angeles County for opportunities to improve water reliability by reducing reliance on imported water supplies, address groundwater quality issues and identify opportunities to more efficiently manage and operate the Basins.

"WRD is consistently looking for ways to efficiently manage the groundwater basins," stated WRD General Manager Robb Whitaker. "These funds will help to further our efforts in identifying and developing new water sources as imported water for groundwater replenishment becomes increasingly more expensive and less reliable," concluded Whitaker.

The total amount of funding available for the Western United States under the program this year was $1,000,000, with a maximum of $300,000 being awarded to any single recipient.

The WRD was one of only five grant recipients in the funding region and the only recipient to receive the maximum funding allowed under the program.

"These USBR funds will help identify the most efficient means to meet the future replenishment demands of the basins," stated WRD Board President Sergio Calderon. "They will also enable WRD to further develop and expand new water source programs such as Water Independence Now (WIN) that help secure a reliable source of water for the people of south Los Angeles County," concluded Calderon.

WaterSMART is a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior that focuses on improving water conservation and sustainability, and helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. It identifies strategies to ensure that this and future generations will have sufficient supplies of clean water for drinking, economic activities, recreation, and ecosystem health.

About WRD

Created by voters in 1959, WRD is a regional groundwater management agency that protects and preserves the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies for nearly four million residents in southern Los Angeles County or 10% of the State's population. For more information please visit www.wrd.org.

SOURCE Water Replenishment District of Southern California