Picturesque Copper Basin Makes Watercolor Reflections, photo by Andrew Au
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT MET THIS WEEK
A weekly newsletter by and for Metropolitan employees
December 2, 2019
Win Clippers Tickets!  As part of Metropolitan's partnership with several sports teams to support water conservation, we have one pair of tickets to the LA Clippers game vs the Houston Rockets on December 19, 2019. Click here and enter by noon Friday, December 6. The winner will be notified directly and announced in the next issue of WaterTalk. 
Water Agencies Await All-Important SWP Allocation
The number crunching has begun. 

The first State Water Project allocation announcement for the water year is due out in early December and, as is typical for the start of the year, Metropolitan and other SWP contractors are expecting a low starting number. Over the coming winter months, allocations typically increase as hydrology and water supply conditions change.

Poised to analyze DWR's allocation studies and water operations is Metropolitan’s Sarah Bartlett who chairs the State Water Contractors water operations committee and is the key contact for DWR on issues related to the district's water delivery schedule.

 Sarah is a Senior Resource Specialist in WRM. She is a registered geologist and has a master’s degree in city planning as well.

Coming off her annual SWC fall workshop, Sarah explains that 27 public agency water contractors work together to share information and navigate legal policy and regulatory interests. “DWR factors our operations plan and delivery schedule into their model to figure out how much water is available to contractors,” she explains.

Sarah's focus is on water coming to Metropolitan from outside our service area. Right now, all eyes are on San Luis Reservoir in particular because it is important to Metropolitan’s water supply outlook, especially with respect to surplus water supplies.
Climate Action Plan Looks to Reduce our Emissions 
In 2018, Metropolitan's board directed staff to develop our first-ever Climate Action Plan, which will be used to offset greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from current and future projects. 

Last month, CAP Project Manager, Malinda Stalvey updated the board on project's initial phase - which included a GHG emissions inventory and a forecast of future emissions. Here's what Metropolitan's 2017 emissions looked like:

- 86% from electricity
- 5% from construction activities
- 4% from combustion
- 5% from other activities

The advantage of having a CAP is that Metropolitan can take credit for reductions from existing activities such as our conservation and local resource programs, ridesharing and clean energy projects, such as solar facilities that reduce reliance on higher GHG emitting power.

“The success of the CAP is due to the Working Group, a group of hard-working experts from WRM, WSO, Engineering, Environmental Planning, Administrative Services and External Affairs," says Malinda . "They are making this a team effort to focus on what we all see as a vitally important project.”

Staff believe Metropolitan is well situated to meet the state's GHG reduction goals of 40% by 2030. The board will consider an emissions reduction target in early 2020.
Building a Team that can Tackle Big Challenges
Imagine being responsible for a water system that covers 2,400 square miles (twice the size of Rhode Island).

That’s the big job of Richard Ford and his team of 78 employees on the Eastern Region Unit of Metropolitan’s conveyance and distribution system – which includes Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Skinner, Lake Mathews and hundreds of miles of pipeline in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties that connect the systems and deliver water.

Richard started at Diemer 30 years ago as a Gardener 1, helping to manage the landscapes around facilities that are both functional and beautiful. Over the years, he learned about the systems, earned water certifications, and gained a lot of experience. Thirteen years ago, he became Manager of the OC Distribution Team and this year, was named Interim Unit Manager for the Eastern Region.

He marvels at the projects he’s been part of during his career. “There are so many essential points in the system. They have to work perfectly and together to deliver CRA and SWP water,” Richard says. But his major accomplishments are found not in projects, but rather from people. “I’m most proud of developing my staff and watching team members grow,” Richard says. “They are the future of Metropolitan.”

Richard also credits his success to his family for supporting him during “the long and late hours.” He and his wife have six children, 10 grandchildren (and one on the way) and enjoy traveling in their RV.  
New hires, transfers, promotions & retirements are posted here each month.
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