Urban Water Management Plan

The California Water Management Planning Act of 1983 (Act), as amended, requires urban water suppliers to develop an Urban Water Management Plan every five years in the years ending in zero and five. An (UWMP or Plan) is to ensure a reliable water source sufficient to meet the needs of its customers during normal, single dry or multiple dry years.

The California legislature declared that

• waters of the state are a limited and renewable resource subject to ever increasing demands
• the conservation and efficient use of urban water supplies are of statewide concern
• successful implementation of plans is best accomplished at the local level
• conservation and efficient use of water shall be actively pursued to protect both the people of the state and their water resources
• conservation and efficient use of urban water supplies shall be a guiding criterion in public decisions
• and that urban water suppliers shall be required to develop water management plans to achieve conservation and efficient use.

Park Water Company's 2005 UWMP has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Act. The 2005 UWMP Update was adopted by Park's Board of Directors, following a public hearing on November 15, 2005, and has been submitted to the State of California Public Utilities Commission and the California Department of Water Resources.

This UWMP serves as a general, flexible, and open-ended document that is periodically updated to reflect changes in the Los Angeles region water supply trends, and water use efficiency policies. This Plan, along with the Park's Water Master Plan and other planning documents, will be used by Park's staff to guide water use and management efforts through the year 2010, when the UWMP is required to be updated.

Park projects that water demand within its service area could remain relatively constant over the next 20 years due to minimal growth combined with water use efficiency measures and the potential use of recycled water. Park expects to meet all of its water demands over the next 25 years for all average, single dry year, and multiple dry years.

Here is a copy of Park's 2005 UWMP.

Recycled Water

Recycled water, also called reclaimed water, refers to water produced from the three-stage treatment of municipal wastewater. Regulations make the use of recycled water possible. These regulations ensure consistent, reliable water quality while being fully protective of the public health.

Recycled water is virtually colorless and odorless, and is allowable for full-body human contact but not for direct human consumption. The sensible use of recycled water affords an excellent choice for essentially all non-potable water applications. These uses include urban landscaping, agriculture, decorative lakes and fountains, and a variety of industrial process.

Currently, Park Water Company has a service contract with the Central Basin Municipal Water District for the operation and maintenance of their Century Recycled Water System in the Cities of Vernon, South Gate, Lynwood, Paramount, Lakewood, Bellflower, Downey and Norwalk. The contract includes providing Underground Service Alert marking, flushing operations, valve maintenance, water quality and coordination for new facilities.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) was formed in the late 1920's. Collectively, charter members recognized the limited water supplies available within the local region, and realized that continued prosperity and economic development of Southern California depended upon the acquisition and careful management of an adequate supplemental water supply. This foresight made the continued development of Southern California possible.

Metropolitan acquires water from northern California via the State Water Project and from the Colorado River to supply water to most of Southern California. As a wholesaler, Metropolitan has no retail customers, and distributes treated and untreated water directly to its 26 member agencies. One such member agency is the Central Basin Municipal Water District.

Central Basin Municipal Water District

In 1952, the Central Basin Municipal Water District was formed to help mitigate the over pumping of groundwater resources in southeast Los Angeles County. Although local groundwater was inexpensive, it was diminishing rapidly and it was realized that pumping would have to be curtailed. This reduction in groundwater was to be supplemented with imported water.

In 1954, CBMWD became a member agency of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC), an agency which provides the region with imported water. CBMWD is one of the largest member agencies of MWDSC serving Artesia, Bell, Bellflower, Bell Gardens, parts of Carson, Cerritos, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Huntington Park, La Habra Heights, Lakewood, La Mirada, Lynwood, Maywood, Montebello, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill, South Gate, Vernon, and Whittier. CBMWD also serves unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County such as East Los Angeles and South Whittier.

Water Replenishment District

In 1959, the State Legislature enacted the Water Replenishment Act enabling the formation of the Water Replenishment District (WRD) by voter approval. The WRD was formed for the purpose of protecting and managing the groundwater resources of the Central and West Coast groundwater basins of south Los Angeles County. WRD manages groundwater for nearly 43 cities of south Los Angeles County covering a 420 square mile service area. The users of the groundwater basins pump approximately 250,000 acre-feet (AF) of groundwater per year. The state of California relies on WRD to manage, regulate, replenish, and protect the quality of the groundwater supplies within its boundaries.

Because of increasing populations and diminishing groundwater resources, the Central and West Coast groundwater basins were adjudicated to limit the allowable extraction amount for every water right holder within the basins. The adjudication was a result of a judgment from the Superior Court, County of Los Angeles. The final judgment became effective on October 1, 1966 and appointed the Department of Water Resources as the Watermaster. WRD and the Watermaster cooperate closely to record groundwater extractions from the Central and West Coast groundwater basins.

WRD closely monitors the groundwater basins for fluctuations in groundwater levels. WRD works with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, Metropolitan, and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts for replenishment of the groundwater basins with imported and recycled water supplies.