San Diego County Water Authority’s plan for future water reliability wins awards

May 03, 2004

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Regional Water Facilities Master Plan recently received top honors in two awards competitions. Both…

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Regional Water Facilities Master Plan recently received top honors in two awards competitions. Both the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the San Diego Section of the American Planning Association selected the master plan as the “Outstanding Planning Document” for 2003.

“The San Diego County Water Authority’s master plan was a comprehensive overview of a critical issue in San Diego,” said the AEP awards jury. “The plan examined new resource alternatives, including additional desalination plants located near the coast to serve this southernmost portion of our state that lies “Öat the end of the tap’.”

The Regional Water Facilities Master Plan is a long-term plan to meet San Diego County’s future water demands. It focuses on diversifying the region’s water supply and identifies new water sources and facilities that will be required to meet the region’s water needs through 2030. The Water Authority board of directors selected seawater desalination as the preferred alternative for providing a new, safe and reliable water supply for the region.

The Water Authority received the award for “Outstanding Planning Document – Large Jurisdiction” at the AEP annual state conference awards luncheon April 17, 2004, in Los Angeles. The award recognizes the agency or firm that publishes a land use, transportation or other plan that best accommodates projected population growth to protect California’s environmental resources. The master plan is eligible for submittal to the National AEP awards program in February 2005.

The master plan also received recognition from the San Diego Section of the American Planning Association. The SDAPA awarded the master plan top honors in the “Outstanding Planning Award in Comprehensive Planning for Large Jurisdiction” category for a “comprehensive plan of unusually high merit completed for, by or within a 2000 census population of 100,000 or more.”

The Water Authority will receive the award at the June 2004 SDAPA awards banquet in La Jolla. This local award makes the master plan eligible for the statewide California Chapter APA awards competition in October 2004.

The San Diego County Water Authority is a public agency serving the San Diego region as a wholesale supplier of water from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Water Authority works through its 23 member agencies to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region’s $130 billion economy and the quality of life of 3 million residents.

Information on AEP and APA:”ÂThe Association of Environmental Professionals is a nonprofit organization of professionals working to improve their skills as environmental and resource managers. AEP is dedicated to the enhancement, maintenance and protection of the natural and human environment.

The American Planning Association is a nonprofit public interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional and rural planning. Through its chapters and divisions, APA provides information and other services to its members and serves as a forum for discussion of planning issues

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  • The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $262 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 22 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.

    Media Contact Information

    Jordan Beane

    Phone: (858) 221-3975

    Email: jbeane@sdcwa.org