Virtual Let’s Talk H2O! Set for May 19 to Discuss PWD’s Hazard Mitigation Plan and Survey by Palmdale Water District May 12, 2021 Member Submitted News PALMDALE – To provide customers with information about its Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) and urge them to take a survey about water-related hazards, Palmdale Water District (PWD) will hold a virtual Let’s Talk H2O! with PWD from 3-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 19. Community members are urged to sign up for the webinar to learn about PWD’s HMP and take the anonymous survey to share their concerns. The online event is free, but registration is required. Register at https://bit.ly/2NTW4UH or on our website at palmdalewater.org. An emergency kit with a retail value of $250 will be raffled off to one attendee at the end of the event. “We highly encourage our customers to attend and learn about what steps the District is taking to ensure the safety of the community,” said PWD Board Director Kathy Mac Laren-Gomez. “We live in a time and place where wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and numerous other hazards can happen at any time. Each of us needs to be proactive and prepared. Our community must be sustainable and self-reliant.” Presenters at the webinar will include consultants from HDR Inc., who have been working on updating the HMP with PWD. The HMP evaluates the threats posed by natural disasters and establishes a PWD strategy for managing those risks. The plan will qualify the District for federal and state hazard mitigation grants and disaster relief funds, according to the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. PWD’s current HMP, adopted in 2008, must be updated this year and will be valid through 2026. Part of the requirements is to survey the community and hold two public meetings to discuss the HMP draft. The public meetings will be held on July 28 and August 26. The 11-question survey touches on issues including concerns about hazards such as earthquakes, droughts, dam failures and others; individual emergency preparedness; and best forms of emergency communication. The anonymous survey via Survey Monkey will be available May 17-27. To take the survey in English, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MBFSXJK. The Spanish version can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XWW3CL5. QR codes for the survey are available on customers’ May billing statements and on PWD’s website at palmdalewater.org. “We are hopeful that our customers will take the survey and share their thoughts on disaster issues,” PWD Assistant General Manager Adam Ly said. “That information will be beneficial as we update the plan and adopt ways to best prepare ourselves and our community for natural disasters.” Since 1918, the Palmdale Water District has provided high-quality water at a reasonable cost. We pride ourselves on providing great customer care; advocating for local water issues that help our residents; educating the community on water-use efficiency; and leading our region in researching and implementing emerging technologies that increase operational efficiency. For more information about PWD, visit www.palmdalewater.org. ###