Framing California's Water Infrastructure Challenges

The Planning Report excerpts a VerdeXchange Conference panel on the trajectory of water delivery systems in California. Jeff Kightlinger of the Metropolitan Water District offers the ‘good', the ‘bad', and the ‘ugly' of dealing with current water infrastructure. Phil Isenberg of the Delta Stewardship Council follows with an analysis of water consumption and the impact that CA's water usage and policy will have on the state's water sources.

Kightlinger notes that Californians may support upgrading infrastructure if the process and system are more clear: "People have been willing to invest in water as long as they understand what they receive for their investment." Isenberg points to communication failures at the political level: "The political world talks about water with a notion that we can create a system dependent on relatively static supply levels and grant unlimited future uses." Both speakers thus stress the need for Californians to clearly grasp how water infrastructure functions and the need to plan for a revitalized system.

Thanks to Kevin Madden