30 Water Agencies Unite To Reduce Demands on the Colorado River

Multi-agency agreement outlines best practices and water-saving actions to protect water supplies.

By News Desk

Recognizing that a reliable water supply is critical to all economies and communities relying on the drought-stricken Colorado River, more than 30 water agencies and providers have committed to take additional actions to reducing water demands and helping protect the Colorado River system.

Municipal and public water providers in the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basin include Foothill Municipal Water District which covers about 22 square miles in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, bordered between the City of Pasadena on the east and the City of Glendale on the south and west. The District serves approximately 80,000 people through its own member agencies. These agencies affirmed their commitments to implement comprehensive and innovative water conservation programs, initiatives, policies, and actions within their communities, including:

• Expanding water efficiency programs for indoor and outdoor water use.
• Implementing programs and policies reducing and replacing non-functional, decorative grass by 30 percent while protecting urban landscapes and tree canopies.
• Increasing water reuse and recycling programs.
• Implementing water efficiency strategies, and best practices, and other suitable conservation strategies within each community.

“Forging a sustainable future for the Colorado River will take a commitment from all of us to use less water. More than two dozen water agencies from cities across the Southwest have made this commitment on behalf of the millions of people they serve,” said Adel Hagekhalil, General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. “This Memory of Understanding (MOU) is a key step towards bringing the Colorado River into balance, and powerful proof that working together, we can build solutions.”

Under the MOU, each participating water provider will implement the conservation actions, programs and/or policies most appropriate for its individual communities and water efficiency goals. While these water agencies primarily represent urban water uses, which is only a small fraction of the Colorado River’s total water consumption, the conservation strategies outlined will help reduce demands and protect water levels in lakes Powell and Mead.

> Featured photo is from Foothill Municipal Water District (FMWD) contest winner. Clayton Choi‘s artwork will be included in the 2023 Metropolitan Water District “Water is Life” Student Art Calendar. Clayton is in Kindergarten at La Cañada Elementary School.