Landmark Water Conservation Legislation
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For the first time in the state’s history, California will set permanent water-use goals to prepare for future droughts and climate change, thanks to legislation signed by Governor Brown on May 31.
Former Metropolitan Director and now Assembly member Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) authored one of the landmark bills,
Assembly Bill 1668
, and Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) the other,
Senate Bill 606
, which make permanent many of the conservation measures put in place during the last drought.
Metropolitan worked closely with legislators to ensure the plan gives local water agencies flexibility on the best ways to achieve water savings and make investments in local supplies and storage.
“California has to prepare for a climate change future with greater volatility in our water supplies,” said
GM Kightlinger
in a press release. “A critical component of preparing for that future is creating a state-wide ethic supporting water conservation as a way of life.”
Together, the bills establish an indoor, per-person water use goal of 55 gallons/day (until 2025 when the daily limit goes down). The state will now also create incentives for water suppliers to recycle water and require urban and agricultural water suppliers to set annual water budgets.
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Building on Metropolitan's Diverse Workforce
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Twice a year, Metropolitan prepares a report on its equal employment opportunity and affirmative action programs, including workforce demographics. In her recent presentation to the Board’s Organization, Personnel & Technology Committee,
Olivia Sanchez
shared the latest information. At the end of 2017:
-- Metropolitan had 1,711 employees (does not include temps or consultants). Of those:
- Men: 74%
- Women 26%
- White: 48%
- Hispanic: 25%
- Asian: 19%
- Black: 7%,
- Two or more races: 1%
- American Indian/ Alaskan Native <1%
-- 97 employees were hired and 84 retired in 2017
-- The number of minority employees has increased about 5% over the past five years
-- Female representation has been steady for several years
Sanchez
said work is underway to update Met’s Affirmative Action programs which cover protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, and its Nondiscrimination programs for women and minorities. These efforts help break down barriers, ensure equal access and promote an inclusive workforce.
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You Can't Purchase This Kind of Spirit
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In a calm, reassuring tone,
John Poli
negotiates for expedited delivery on a critical valve for Metropolitan’s Second Lower Feeder. Though he sounds like he is chatting with a friend, John is pressing an Italian valve manufacturer, 6,000 miles and nine time zones away, to realize “time is up.”
Why go all the way to Italy? “That valve must last 50 years. Metropolitan’s long-term reliability standards demand the best craftsmanship, wherever it is,” says John, who received his undergraduate degree in political science from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s degree from CSU San Bernardino.
As the interim contracting services unit manager,
John
oversees four teams: inventory and asset management, warehousing, professional services and procurement. A big part of his success comes from strong one-to-one communication. “Practice proactive procurement," he says, "Engage the vendor and the customer. The best part of this job is connecting the dots for our customers, source products and services delivered."
John’s
enthusiastic, yet laid-back style, also serves him well as the immediate past president of the Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association. As a spirited Cal Poly Broncos fan,
John
mentors grads at career fairs and outreach events. When he's not networking with students, he channels his own Italian heritage, enjoying wine tasting along California’s central coast with his wife, Kellie.
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