Metropolitan board releases Adel Hagekhalil under the terms of his employment contract, unanimously appoints Deven Upadhyay as new General Manager | |
At a special joint Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 29), Metropolitan’s board exercised its contractual right to terminate General Manager Adel Hagekhalil’s employment under the terms of his employment contract, effective immediately. The board then voted unanimously to appoint Deven Upadhyay, pictured right, as Metropolitan's new general manager.
"Metropolitan takes all allegations of discrimination, harassment, and unfair treatment seriously,” said Metropolitan board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. “We are committed to maintaining a workplace environment that upholds the values of fairness, respect and due process."
Read the press release.
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Metropolitan provides support to Southern California and local water agencies during emergency wildfire response | |
Metropolitan staff coordinating with member agencies Foothill Municipal Water District and Pasadena Water & Power, along with retail agency representatives, on recovery efforts for water systems impacted by the Eaton Fire. | |
As Southern Californians faced a number of concurrent wildfire emergencies across the region earlier this month, Metropolitan staff supported local water agencies on the frontlines for firefighting and related emergency response services. While Metropolitan’s water system was not directly impacted, the district provided resources and mutual aid to impacted agencies, including emergency generators, fuel, skilled workers and other necessary materials.
Watch our video and read the latest fact sheet.
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Board room dedicated in honor of former Chair Phillip J. Pace | |
On Tuesday (Jan. 28), Metropolitan dedicated its board room in honor of Phillip J. Pace, who represented Central Basin Municipal Water District on Metropolitan’s Board of Directors from 1995 to 2008 and chaired Metropolitan’s board from 1999 to 2005. Pace passed away in 2022. More than 150 people, including Pace's family, friends and former Metropolitan colleagues, attended the dedication and honored the man who helped shaped Metropolitan into the public agency it is today.
During his time as board Chair, Pace oversaw the construction and opening of Diamond Valley Lake and the establishment of Metropolitan’s conservation program. He also guided Metropolitan through the historic Quantification Settlement Agreement for the Colorado River in 2003 and helped pave the way for future agriculture-urban water transfer agreements that continue to maximize Metropolitan’s reliability during dry years.
Watch the tribute video.
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Chair Ortega, left, poses with members of the Pace family and Eloy Torrez, the commissioned artist of the commemorative portrait that will hang outside the entrance to the Phillip J. Pace Board Room at Metropolitan's downtown headquarters. | |
State’s first snow survey of 2025 reveals near-average conditions in Northern Sierra | |
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Following a flurry of storms in November and December that boosted snowpack in the Northern Sierra amidst an otherwise dry start to California’s water year, the Department of Water Resources recorded near-average snowpack during its first manual survey of the season. The survey conducted at Phillips Station on Jan. 2 recorded a snow water equivalent of nine inches, or 91% of the average for this location.
DWR uses data collected from its surveys to inform forecasted allocations of annual State Water Project deliveries. The current forecasted allocation is 20% of requested SWP supplies, about two-thirds of the total Metropolitan would need to achieve supply balance for the current water year.
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“By kicking off 2025 with a record 3.8 million acre-feet of water in storage, we are well-positioned to meet our water demands this year,” said Metropolitan General Manager Deven Upadhyay. “Instead of being at the mercy of increasingly dramatic fluctuations in precipitation, we are continuing to adapt to climate change by diversifying the region’s water supplies, investing in storage, increasing the flexibility of our water system and supporting Southern Californians’ commitment to saving water.”
Read the full statement.
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Metropolitan programs awarded $186 million in federal support for long-term conservation measures and reduced reliance on Colorado River | |
Three Metropolitan programs helping Southern California reduce its long-term use of Colorado River water received a substantial pledge of $186 million in federal support from the Bureau of Reclamation:
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The Turf Replacement Program, which helps residents and businesses convert thirsty lawns into more sustainable, water-efficient landscaping, will receive up to $96 million from Reclamation. The funds will support an increase in the rebate that Metropolitan provides to businesses and residents, up to $4 for every square-foot of grass converted to California Friendly and native landscaping.
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The High Desert Water Bank, a partnership with the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, will receive up to $82 million from Reclamation for the design and construction of additional storage capacity. This project allows Metropolitan to store water from California’s State Water Project when it is available during wet years, for use in dry years, thereby alleviating Metropolitan’s future reliance on the Colorado River.
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Metropolitan's Turf Replacement Program is one of three district initiatives awarded funding from Reclamation with the goal of conserving more than 269,000 acre-feet of water for storage in Lake Mead by 2031. | |
- Our leak detection and repair program for disadvantaged communities will receive up to $8 million from Reclamation. This program supports income-qualified homeowners, as well as cities, by providing leak detection and the repair of water pipelines, including mainlines. In addition to contributing conserved water to Lake Mead, the program also reduces water costs for residents and communities.
Under the terms of separate agreements, the last of which Metropolitan’s board approved earlier this month, the district will add more than 269,000 acre-feet of water to Lake Mead by 2031.
Read the press release.
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“We are grateful to the federal government for their collaboration and investment in developing a more sustainable Colorado River. We are committed to continuing to work together to develop realistic solutions that increase water efficiency, reduce reliance on the river and better manage water as a shared resource for
30 million people and farming across the entire basin.”
Metropolitan board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr.
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Former San Diego County Water Authority board Chair Mel Katz joins Metropolitan’s Board of Directors | |
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Longtime San Diego business and civic leader Mel Katz was seated as the newest San Diego County Water Authority representative on Metropolitan’s board on Jan. 14. Katz replaces retiring Director Tim Smith, who had represented the Water Authority on Metropolitan’s board since 2018. Katz has represented the city of Del Mar on the Water Authority board since 2018 and served as board Chair from 2022 to 2024.
“Director Katz and I formed strong bonds of partnership and friendship between our agencies during his time as chair of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors. This will prove to be key to a new era of regionalism in water supply management encompassing all our member agencies including San Diego,” said Chair Ortega.
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Watch our 2024 Year in Review | | | | |