SCWC Celebrates 25th Anniversary as Southern California’s Leading Voice in Water Policy

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., — The Southern California Water Committee is celebrating its 25th year as the region’s leading water policy forum tonight at its Silver Jubilee Dinner featuring keynote speaker Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and special honorees. The SCWC, founded in 1984, has been a voice for Southern California throughout the past quarter century, navigating complicated water issues and playing a critical role in building water policy consensus throughout the region and the state.

Since its beginning, the SCWC has been the only organization in the region bringing the diverse interests of regional and local elected officials, opinion leaders, water agencies, business and agricultural organizations together on California’s water issues. The organization’s work has helped lay the framework for developing a comprehensive water solution that benefits the entire state, while assuring a long term sustainable water supply for Southern California.

“For 25 years, the Southern California Water Committee has been a leading voice for safe, clean and reliable water up and down our state. Today we need leaders to take action to achieve a comprehensive water plan that will serve the state over the next 25 years and beyond. Working together, we will get this water deal done and we will build a brighter more prosperous future for our state,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This year, SCWC will be honoring three of California’s most notable water leaders – Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force Members Monica Florian and Tom McKernan will be receiving the Harriet Weider Water Leadership Award and SCWC’s former executive director, Joan Dym, will be receiving a lifetime achievement award. Sponsors of the event include Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Southern California Edison, AECOM, Cordoba Corporation, Operating Engineers, Local 12, Kern County Water Agency, Majestic Realty Co., Paramount Farms, Santa Margarita Water District and the California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers.

Through education and outreach, the SCWC is working with other state and regional leaders to develop and support a comprehensive solution that restores the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) ecosystem and restores a reliable water supply for the state. Water for 25 million people and three million acres of agricultural land is moved through the Delta — but the existing conveyance system needs replacement to avoid