In this issue of Municipal Water Leader magazine, we look at how water managers employ the latest in best practices and technologies to develop, sustain, and enlarge municipal water supplies. In our cover interview, we speak with Jim Watson of the Sites Project Authority, which is seeking to develop a large, offstream storage reservoir as part of the California State Water Project to augment drought resilience and environmental flows. Plans to develop Sites have been on the books and studied for decades. The potential of innovative financing, conjunctive water management, and hydro components makes Sites a forward-looking storage solution. Mr. Watson explains, “Sites will give resource managers a new tool they can use to release their water on a real-time basis based on their prioritization of the system’s environmental needs.”
We also look at other innovative projects and programs. Kevin Pearson of Eastern Municipal Water District discusses the district’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure program, which notifies its customers when there is uncharacteristic high usage. David Marshall and Ed Weaver discuss the latest in pipe technology and installation on Tarrant Regional Water District’s Integrated Pipeline Project. Dr. Rick Westerfield discusses the efforts of Columbus, Ohio, to employ lined offstream storage to supplement water supplies.
Innovation comes down to people solving problems with new ideas. We speak with Debra Man of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California about her career and her involvement in Met’s innovative planning and water management over the last two decades. Rich Mielke of Northwest Pipe Company discusses improvements in pipe replacement technology. And, finally, Will Jernigan talks about bringing together the best and the brightest to address water loss in conveyance systems.
The leaders and districts we feature in this issue share the same dedication to improving water delivery systems for the future. They share the courage of their convictions to employ innovative management techniques and technologies to deliver water.
Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader and Irrigation Leader magazines. He is also president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations, marketing, and publishing company he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@wateretrategies.com