ENR California & Northwest names the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metro) as its 2020 Owner of the Year.

Last fall, Metro, a regional wholesaler for 26 member public agencies that deliver water to nearly 19 million people living in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties, launched its Regional Recycled Water Program and began operations of a 500,000-gallon-per-day, $17-million demonstration facility that purifies wastewater for reuse.

Ten years in development, and in partnership with the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles, Metro’s testing facility, the Regional Recycled Water Advanced Purification Center, marks the beginning of full-scale recycled water program that will meet Southern California’s critical need for a local, sustainable water source. Metro currently imports 45% of its water from the Colorado River and Northern California. But climate change’s rapidly increasing effects of drought and wildfire, along with the state’s aging dam and pipeline infrastructure and earthquake risk, exacerbates the urgency.

ENR California and Northwest is pleased to recognize Metro as this year’s Owner of the Year for its effort to meet Southern California’s need for an additional water source through innovation and efficiency. Data collected now from the demonstration facility will be used for a potential, full-scale recycled water plant and will be shared with communities across the globe.

Learn more about Metro’s program in ENR California and Northwest’s April edition!