Top State Legislators Spend the Day at WRD

Assembly Member Ricardo Lara & Assembly Member Roger Hernandez

LAKEWOOD, Calif., May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Water Replenishment District hosted two of the state's rising stars in the Assembly, Assembly Member Ricardo Lara (D-South Gate) and Assembly Member Roger Hernandez (D-Baldwin Park). Both legislators had the opportunity to view key District projects throughout WRD's 420-square mile service area.

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Both Lara and Hernandez, who sit on the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, touched on the challenges that the state faces in securing water for the entire state, in particular, providing a reliable source of water for Southern California.

On hand were WRD groundwater experts who provided an overview of the District's water projects that have helped reduce the need for imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River, and that have contributed to "drought proofing" the region.

Assemblymembers Lara and Hernandez observed some of WRD's innovative water programs, such as the District's Water Independence Now (WIN) program. WIN is a suite of projects developed by WRD to help eliminate the District's reliance on imported water for groundwater replenishment in southern Los Angeles County within the next five years.

"WRD's innovative planning and strong partnerships position it to help safeguard the region's groundwater supply," said Assemblymember Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina.) "Projects such as WIN are taking the region one step closer to fully 'drought proofing' south Los Angeles County," concluded Hernandez.

It is reassuring that agency's such as WRD are at the forefront of groundwater management in the region," said Assemblymember Ricardo Lara (D-South Gate). "Their 'drought proofing' efforts are evident in the innovative projects that are currently safeguarding and preserving the groundwater below. WRD has a fundamental understanding of the region's water needs and they are meeting them."

This is important to the region because groundwater provides forty percent of the overall water supply to more than 10 percent of the state's population.

"We are honored to have two of California's top legislators join WRD for the day," WRD Board President Sergio Calderon said. "They were able to see firsthand the District's innovative water programs that have been nationally recognized by renowned water organizations."

"WRD is pleased to have two rising political stars in the Assembly visit our District," said WRD Director Albert Robles. "They were able to have one-on-one conversations with our hydrogeologists and engineering experts on WRD's various water programs that are securing our region's water supply."

The Water Replenishment District of Southern California is the regional groundwater management agency that protects and preserves the quantity and quality of groundwater for two of the most utilized basins in the State of California, with a service area that is home to over ten percent of California's population residing in 43 cities in southern Los Angeles County with a publicly elected Board of Directors including Willard H. Murray, Jr., Robert Katherman, Lillian Kawasaki, Sergio Calderon, and Albert Robles.

SOURCE Water Replenishment District of Southern California