Archive
Water Futures Join Wall Street
Water has now joined oil, gold, and other commodities traded on Wall Street, highlighting worries that the life-sustaining natural resource may become scarce across more of the world. The contracts, a first of their kind in the U.S., were announced in September of this year as heat and wildfires ravaged the U.S. West Coast and as California was emerging from an eight-year drought. They are meant to serve both as a hedge for big water consumers, such as almond farmers and electric utilities, against water prices fluctuations as well a scarcity gauge for investors worldwide. Farmers, hedge funds and municipalities […]
Recycled Water to be Delivered to NFL Stadium
Last week, officials announced that the new 298-acre sports and entertainment development in Inglewood, California, home to the National Football League’s Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, will be receiving about 26 million gallons of recycled water annually. The reclaimed water will be supplied by the West Basin Municipal Water District where it will be used for landscape irrigation, maintenance, and aesthetic purposes, which includes a Lake Park cascading water feature and various greenspaces. “SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park is a great example of a public-private partnership,”[1] West Basin Board President Gloria D. Gray said. “Together we are able […]
The Return of the California Water Wars
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform how we live, there has been one aspect in California that appears immune to change: the federal and state water wars. The United States’ Bureau of Reclamation is poised for another showdown against the state’s Department of Water Resources over who controls the vital water supply. Last year, the Bureau of Reclamation issued new operating criteria for the Central Valley Project in the form of an 871-page “biological assessment”. Within this document were details on how the water was to be maximized for water supply and delivery while also maintaining adequate protections for […]
The Drought Contingency Plan: Is it Enough?
Since 2000, the Colorado River and its reservoirs have seen significant decreases as a result of extreme drought conditions. These conditions only exacerbate the ongoing challenge of supply and demand: the farms and cities of the Southwest region have water demands that outweigh the available water supply leaving the river in a state of imbalance. Last year, in recognition of the crisis, the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) was signed, but according to Brian Richter, the plan is not enough. Richter, president of the nonprofit group Sustainable Waters and a former director and chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy’s […]
California is about to Get Down with DPR
In California, the notion of Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) has been in discussion for years. As continued drought and scarce supplies force policy makers to develop options, the strategy of DPR may in fact soon become a reality. While all water is eventually reused, it is first released as treated wastewater into groundwater or surface water; which acts as an environmental buffer prior to being pumped out, treated, and used for potable water supplies. Many regulators in California and other states are beginning to question the value of this environmental buffer. If it were to be removed, reclaimed water could […]