First in a three-part series about filming at Metropolitan facilities. The other stories will run in July and August issues of WaterTalk.

From Nike commercials, to the X-Files, and even some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, Metropolitan has played a backdrop for dozens of productions.

 

Met’s facilities offer visually unique and diverse filming opportunities. The boardroom at Headquarters can be seen in the Will Ferrell comedy, Blades of Glory, and the mega-blockbuster, Transformers 3. The Jensen plant is a particular favorite for action films. It has been in not one, but two Die Hard films , and even the science fiction masterpiece, Soylent Green .

 

What would a Hollywood production be without a few behind-the-scenes stories? On Die Hard 2 , Bruce Willis wanted to do a pull-up on a pipe in Jensen for a scene. Met staff quickly had to jump in and let the actor know that using the water pipes as exercise equipment wasn’t allowed.

During a film shoot in the boardroom at Headquarters, a hanging prop fell and landed on Ryan O’Neal. Luckily, no one was hurt, and he had a good sense of humor about it.

 

Since 1992, Nancy Webb in the Real Property Group has overseen film permitting. She negotiates with producers and location managers to secure filming at many of Met’s facilities and has negotiated over a million dollars in fees. When asked what the most outrageous request she’s received, Nancy doesn’t have to think long, “Someone asked if they could bring a live elephant into headquarters.”

With Southland productions on the rise it’s likely we will see more Met locations on the big screen (or little screen if you watch on your phone) for years to come.

It’s the time of year when state water officials have a good handle on the amount of water in the Sierra snowpack and reservoirs and can decide how much will be delivered to agencies like Metropolitan that contract for State Water Project supplies.

The good news is that the 2018 allocation ticked up slightly last month to 35%. That means Met and other contractors will receive just over one-third of their maximum entitlement of state water supplies (called “Table A” water).

It also means something rather unique will happen with Metropolitan’s imported supply and demand picture this year.

“Based on our projected demands, this is as close to perfectly balanced as I’ve ever seen it,” GM Kightlinger told the Executive Committee in May. “Right now, if things stay as they are, the exact amount of water coming in, is about the exact amount of water being used. That’s not a bad place to be.”

~ Projected demand for MWD water is 1.63 million acre-feet

~ Colorado River supplies will provide about 945,000 acre-feet this year and State Water Project supplies about 683,000 acre-feet.

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Fun Facts:  

·           The State Water Project is the largest state-built water and power development and conveyance system.

·           Its key feature is the 444-mile California Aqueduct that can be seen from Interstate 5 (but not from the moon as one urban legend claims.)

·          To reach Southern California, water is pumped 2,000 feet over the Tehachapi Mountains; it’s the highest water lift in the world.

Margie Wheeler grew up in a farming family – working in iconic Southern California orange groves, and then with ornamental plants and palm trees. She learned first-hand about one of California’s largest industries and the importance of water to farming communities. Starting at age 22, Margie taught for 10 years in the Agriculture Department at Mt. San Antonio College, further developing the perspective and expertise on water, land use and sustainability that she brings to Metropolitan.

 

Her journey with Met started as a consultant in the Water Conservation Branch before moving to Public Affairs. From there, Margie went to the Office of the General Manager, working on a variety of board-related assignments including managing the Inspection Trip program. She now deals with complex policy and program issues as an Executive Strategist in the Bay-Delta office.

 

Margie takes learning and leadership seriously. She earned her MBA from the University of La Verne, a second Master’s Degree in Advanced Management from the Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, and her Doctorate from the University of Southern California. She is president of Leadership California, and on the board of the Southern California Leadership Network.

 

For Margie, leading starts with respect. “Leadership is hard work. It means doing what others may not want to do, having difficult conversations, being the one to stand up for others and striving to understand people and their perspectives.” The best advice she can give up-and-coming leaders is to, “Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable; value disagreements and diverse opinions to make the organization stronger.”