Metropolitan, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency to celebrate new regional water storage

Agencies taking advantage of wet year to store water in $211 million High Desert Water Bank, Metropolitan’s largest-ever investment in groundwater storage

–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

WHAT:	Officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency will celebrate completion of the first stage of the High Desert Water Bank, a critical groundwater storage project that will significantly increase Southern California’s water supply reliability by allowing Metropolitan to store up to 280,000 acre-feet of State Water Project supplies in the Antelope Valley groundwater basin. This is comparable in size to Castaic Lake, nearly double the size of Lake Perris and four times the capacity of Big Bear Lake.
WHEN:	10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 23
WHERE:	50606 290th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93536
	A livestream of the event will also be available here (not recording quality).
WHO:	Adán Ortega, Jr., Metropolitan Water District board chair
	Adel Hagekhalil, Metropolitan Water District general manager
	George Lane, AVEK board president
	Matthew Knudson, AVEK general manager
VISUALS:	Backdrop/tours of the High Desert Water Bank, including turnout facilities from the California Aqueduct and large-scale spreading basins.
BACKGROUND: After three years of construction, the first stage of the High Desert Water Bank is complete. Metropolitan can now take advantage of this historically wet year by storing water in the groundwater basin for use in the next inevitable dry year. The water bank not only significantly increases Metropolitan’s total storage capacity along the State Water Project, its scale allows Metropolitan to annually store and withdraw up to 70,000 acre-feet of water – enough to serve the annual needs of 210,000 average Southern California homes. Using the newly built infrastructure, water managers take water directly from the California Aqueduct and move it into recharge basins, where it percolates into the groundwater basin. It can then be pumped back out using newly built wells and delivered to Southern California communities through the California Aqueduct. This ability to directly pump back stored water also provides increased supply reliability in the event of an emergency, and it helps Southern California reduce its reliance on the Colorado River by providing an alternative source for the region to turn to during drought years in the state.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 member agencies and retail suppliers, provide water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency received its charter as a regional water Agency from the State Legislature in 1959. In 1962 AVEK’s Board of Directors signed a contract with the state to secure the delivery of water supplies intended to supplement the local groundwater. AVEK became the 3rd largest State Water Contractor with an entitlement of 144,844 acre-feet. Through the optimization of water resources and development of groundwater storage, the Agency maintains a reliable, sustainable, and affordable water supply. Serving over 20 municipal users along with Edwards Air Force Base, Plant 42, and U.S. Borax within a 2,400 square mile territory that includes portions Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura Counties, the agency plays a vital role in supporting future regional economic development and national defense programs.

Contacts

Rebecca Kimitch, (213) 217-6450; (202) 821-5253, mobile; rkimitch@mwdh2o.com
Maritza Fairfield, (213) 217-6853; (909) 816-7722, mobile; mfairfield@mwdh2o.com
Pam Clark, (661) 349-8166; (661) 600-6453, mobile; pclark@avek.org