Metropolitan is an organization that prides itself on bringing emerging and innovative ideas into the mainstream, most notably in ways we plan for the future water needs of Southern California.
That legacy was on full display last week as the board kicked off work on the 2020 Integrated Resources Plan with the first meeting of the IRP committee.
The IRP will help guide decisions for the next 25 years or more. Met's first plan was done in the 1990s and had specific targets to meet the gap between supply and demand. It was updated regularly to adapt to events like severe droughts, population growth and water coming from new local supplies.
The new plan, which will be developed over the next several months, will build on many of the well-tested and successful programs to invest in water storage, local resources programs and conservation.
But rather than coming up with targets to meet a specific gap, the plan will focus on scenarios with different alternative views of the future. These scenarios, which will be shaped through input from the board and member agencies, along with technical analysis and expertise from staff, will provide insight into resource development needs and inform key policy discussions by the board.
Outreach activities will ensure the needed input from member agencies, key stakeholders, the public and employees. That’s right, we want staff from around the district to have a chance to share their ideas in the development of the 2020 IRP. Stay tuned for more details.