The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will vote on Tuesday on a major water infrastructure project under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The California WaterFix, as it is officially known, is one of Governor Jerry Brown’s signature projects and seeks to update the state’s aging water infrastructure to ensure a stable water delivery system throughout the state.
The original project, which includes the construction of two water tunnels at a total cost of about $17 billion, suffered a setback from complaints of its extravagant price tag. After much back and forth between different stakeholders, the plan was for the state to construct just a single tunnel. The scaled back version is estimated to cost about $11 billion.
The MWD vote on Tuesday was going to be on the one-tunnel option, but on Friday, the agency abruptly changed its mind and put the two-tunnel option back on the table. Either way, customers with MDW would see an increase on their bills whichever option moves forward.
Guests:
Bettina Boxall, water issues and environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times; she tweets
Robert Hunter, general manager of the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC)
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director and cofounder of Restore the Delta, an organization committed to restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to help fisheries and farming thrive
Patrick Cavanaugh, Fresno-based broadcaster with the California Ag Today Radio Network; editor of Vegetables West and Pacific Nut Producer magazines