ACWA Members Participate in Congressional Briefing

A congressional briefing held last week on “The Future of Alternative Water Supplies” received a boost from two ACWA members. 

Richard Nagel, general manager for West Basin Municipal Water District, and Robb Whitaker, general manager for the Water Replenishment District, provided a packed room with their perspectives. Nagel spoke on “The Importance of Desalination to California’s Water Future” and Whitaker on “Water Recycling in Southern California- A Local Case Study.” The briefing was hosted by Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-38) and sponsored by the WateReuse Association.

In discussing the use of desalination, Nagel noted desalinated water used to cost 20 times as much as imported water from the Colorado River but he expects costs to equalize by 2015. During his presentation, Whitaker highlighted how his district’s growing reuse strategies are reducing their need for imported water from California’s fragile Bay-Delta.

Other speakers and topics included Lauren Azar, Department of Energy, on “The Energy/Water Nexus;” Dan McCarthy, CEO, Black and Veatch Water on “Water as Fuel for the Economy;” Jon Freedman, vice president, GE Water on “The Future of Alternative Supplies;" Joe Rozza, Global Water Resource Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola Company on “Achieving Water Sustainability Globally;" Gretchen McClain, President, ITT Fluids on “Water Infrastructure and Economic Growth;” Steven Sarnecki, VP, Federal and Public Sector, OSIsoft on “Sustainability and Water/Energy Initiatives;” Kira Finkler, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation on “Water/Energy Initiatives, Title XVI;” and Jay Jensen, Assistant Director for Land and Water Resources, Council on Environmental Quality (White House) on “CEQ’s Perspective on Alternative Water Sources.”