Should Central Basin MWD Opt-Out of the California WaterFix?

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Who We Are Who We Are Our mission is to save the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary for our children and future generations. Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Executive Director Barbara@RestoretheDelta.org (209) 475-9550 Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Executive Director Barbara@RestoretheDelta.org (209) 479-9550

Risks of opting-in to the Delta Tunnels: Risks that arise in these contexts: legal, organizational/management intergenerational water supply environmental economic/fiscal scientific social Impacts/consequences beyond Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s member agencies

Risky Financial Future Will Agricultural Water Districts Commit? Joint Powers Authority and Private-Public Partnerships (P3) Who will pay for cost overruns? A cautionary tale: 1) Seattle Big Dig 2) Central Coast Water Authority Water Rates Cost comparisons: Delta Tunnels vs Alternative Water Supply Efficiency Projects

Source: Westlands Water District Board meeting materials, August 9, 2017

opt-out of the Delta Tunnels? What happens if you opt-out of the Delta Tunnels?

What opting-out won’t do: Lead to water grab at your agency’s expense Undermine or change the amount of water you are legally entitled to under contract Put member agencies at risk of an earthquake that will disrupt water supply No major active fault within 60 miles of the Delta Other facilities near Los Angeles and the South Bay are at far greater risk Put member agencies at risk for climate change impacts

What is an Environmental Justice community? Examples in the Delta

WaterFix Health Impacts on EJ Communities Toxic algal blooms Construction or operational impacts Accumulating contaminants Fish contamination Degraded water quality What will be the perception that Southern California took the best water & left this behind?

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Benefits of Opting-Out: Who We Are No injury to the Delta’s drinking water supply and its Environmental Justice communities Protection to not only the Delta’s environment and economy, but the entire state’s Savings for member agencies that complement policies and programs that promote regional self-sufficiency Storm water capture, Groundwater recovery, Reclamation/recycling anyone? Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Executive Director Barbara@RestoretheDelta.org (209) 479-9550

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Who We Are “Water districts should understand that a yes vote to fund the Delta Tunnels issues a multi-generational commitment to a project situated in a watershed whose runoff and supplies are expected to decline with climate change through the 21st century.” Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Executive Director Barbara@RestoretheDelta.org (209) 479-9550