CLWA seeks a social marketing and branding evaluation consultant to lead an evaluation of the 2012 social marketing and branding campaign. Social Marketing and Branding Evaluation RFP

Social Marketing and Branding Evaluation Consultant Responses to Questions ]]> Social Marketing and Branding Evaluation Consultant

CLWA seeks a social marketing and branding evaluation consultant to lead an evaluation of the 2012 social marketing and branding campaign.

–$45.9 million commercial paper notes.

In addition, Fitch affirms the following ratings on the agency’s outstanding obligations:

–$67.9 million in outstanding senior lien certificates of participation (COPs) at ‘AA’;

–$230.2 million in outstanding parity lien COPs at ‘AA-’.

The Rating Outlook is Stable.

SECURITY

The bank notes [...]]]> AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 08, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Fitch Ratings assigns an ‘AA-’ rating to the bank notes corresponding to the following Castaic Lake Water Agency, California (the agency) commercial paper notes:

–$45.9 million commercial paper notes.

In addition, Fitch affirms the following ratings on the agency’s outstanding obligations:

–$67.9 million in outstanding senior lien certificates of participation (COPs) at ‘AA’;

–$230.2 million in outstanding parity lien COPs at ‘AA-’.

The Rating Outlook is Stable.

SECURITY

The bank notes are payable solely from and secured by a subordinate lien on gross revenues of the agency after payment of operations and maintenance expenses and the agency’s senior lien COPs but on parity with the agency’s other subordinate lien COPs.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

COST PRESSURE FROM POTENTIAL BANK NOTES: While the terms of potential bank notes could pressure the agency’s financial performance if the entire commercial paper authorization were to become bank notes for a sustained time period, Fitch believes that the agency’s existing financial profile as well as the agency’s implied market access to take out such notes with long-term debt serve to offset some concern.

ACCELERATION OF POTENTIAL BANK NOTES: The possible acceleration of the bank notes could also pressure the agency’s financial performance, but Fitch believes the occurrence of the acceleration event (the agency’s parity obligations falling below ‘A-’/'A3′) is sufficiently mitigated by the currently high rating level of the parity obligations.

Sound Financial Performance: The agency’s financial position is solid, although there has been some fluctuation in operating performance from year to year.

Elevated Debt Profile: While existing debt ratios are somewhat high, capital needs are manageable and proposed borrowings are not expected to materially increase the agency’s debt burden.

Water Supplies Sufficient: Water supplies are sufficient to meet member demands over the long term.

WHAT COULD TRIGGER A RATING ACTION

THIN COVERAGE: Failure to improve total annual debt service (ADS) coverage over the next few years to levels more commensurate with the existing rating level could put downward pressure on the rating.

CREDIT SUMMARY

Fitch has reviewed the interest rates, default and acceleration provisions, and amortization schedule specified in the documents governing the bank notes. Under the terms of the Letter of Credit (LOC) Reimbursement Agreement, the agency is required to pay the bank notes no later than 13 months after the stated expiration date of the LOC (Dec. 9, 2014). At present, there are no bank notes outstanding.

Financial operations of the agency have historically been favorable but have weakened somewhat, with the most recently audited fiscal year (2010) posting total ADS coverage of just 1.2 times (x) due to droughtA prolonged period of below-average precipitation. restrictions and economic weakness. Offsetting coverage concerns, liquidity and cash flows for the same period appear to be quite healthy, although analysis is limited by the use of governmental fund accounting (as opposed to proprietary fund accounting). Fiscals 2011 and 2012 coverage figures are projected to remain relatively thin, with total ADS between 1.2x-1.3x as a result of lower sales from wet weather and conservation and weaker connection fee revenues. Nevertheless, performance is currently adequate and with a recovery of sales to more normal patterns, as well as an expected adjustment to connection fee rates, total ADS coverage is projected to rebound to 1.6x by fiscal 2013 and average 2.1x over fiscal years 2013-2016.

Capital needs through fiscal 2017 total approximately $199 million and are designed to increase supplies and improve system reliability. A sizeable percentage of capital spending (48% of total CIP costs) is expected to be derived from future debt issuances, including the new commercial paper program. Despite the planned borrowings, debt levels should not be materially affected because the total borrowing level is roughly offset by the amount of debt amortizing over the next five years. Currently, the agency has an elevated debt profile, with debt per capita over 3x the ‘AA’ category median.

Located predominantly in Los Angeles County, approximately 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, CLWA provides wholesale water service to a population of approximately 230,000 persons through four retail agencies. The agency acts as a swing supplier, providing around 50% of the region’s water supplies, with the remainder derived from members’ own local sources. The agency’s water supplies mostly come from Northern California’s San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin River DeltaFan-shaped area at the mouth of a river. A California example is the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta east of San Francisco Bay. via the State Water Project (SWPState Water Project which is owned and operated by the California Department of Water Resources.). While SWPState Water Project which is owned and operated by the California Department of Water Resources. supplies have been impacted by litigation in recent years, the agency projects that it has sufficient allocations from the SWPState Water Project which is owned and operated by the California Department of Water Resources., combined with other water resources, to meet all retail demands through at least 2030.

Additional information is available at ‘ www.fitchratings.com ‘. The ratings above were solicited by, or on behalf of, the issuer, and therefore, Fitch has been compensated for the provision of the ratings.

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

–’Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria,’ dated June 20, 2011;

–’U.S. Water and Sewer Revenue Bond Rating Criteria’, dated Aug. 10, 2011.

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=637130

U.S. Water and Sewer Revenue Bond Rating Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=647331

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS . IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY’S PUBLIC WEBSITE ‘ WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM ‘. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH’S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE ‘CODE OF CONDUCT’ SECTION OF THIS SITE.

SOURCE: Fitch Ratings

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fitch-rates-castaic-lake-water-agency-cas-46mm-bank-notes-aa-2011-12-08

Agency’s General Manager Takes Pride in Staff’s Successful Planning for the Future Dan Masnada has, by any account, a big job: as General Manager of Castaic Lake Water Agency, he supervises 110 employees and is responsible for not only ensuring that the Santa Clarita Valley has a reliable supply of safe, clean, potableDrinkable. Non-potable means non-drinkable. water, but also for “steering the CLWA ship” and making sure the Agency is [...]]]> Water Experts: Masnada ‘Steering the Ship’ for CLWA

Agency’s General Manager Takes Pride in Staff’s Successful Planning for the Future
Dan Masnada has, by any account, a big job: as General Manager of Castaic Lake Water
Agency, he supervises 110 employees and is responsible for not only ensuring that the Santa Clarita Valley has a reliable supply of safe, clean, potableDrinkable. Non-potable means non-drinkable. water, but also for “steering the CLWA ship” and making sure the Agency is properly planning for the SCV’s future water needs.
Looking back on 2011, he’s proud to say those 110 employees have turned in a job well done.
“It’s been a landmark year for our agency when it comes to planning for the long term,” said Masnada, who has served as CLWA’s top executive since 2002, having brought two decades of both retail and wholesale water agency management experience to the job. “Our employees take a lot of pride in making sure we are well prepared for the future. In 2011, we saw several major projects in this effort come to fruition.”
Particularly of note, Masnada said, are:

 Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant Expansion: “This expansion was completed this year,
and it will essentially address the valley’s water treatment needs over the next two
decades before the next expansion is required,” said Masnada. The newly expanded
plant, adjacent to CLWA’s headquarters, has more than doubled its original treatment
capacity from 30 million gallons per day to 66 million gallons per day.

 Completion of 2010 Urban Water Management Plan: This state-mandated road map for
the valley’s future water supply looks ahead at anticipated supplies and demand for the
next 40 years. “We’re proud of the multi-agency cooperative effort that went into the
plan,” Masnada said. “The Santa Clarita Valley Family of Water Suppliers, plus the City
of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County through their One Valley, One Vision general
planupdates processes, all contributed to making the Urban Water Management Plan a
valuable document as we plan for the valley’s future water needs.”

 CLWA Going Solar: This year saw the installation of approximately 3.5 acres of highefficiency
SunPower® solar panels on a 5-acre portion of CLWA’s property. The
resulting 1-megawatt solar power system, designed and constructed by SunPower
Corp., is expected to supply more than 98 percent of the energy needed to power
CLWA’s headquarters and the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant. The Agency is paying
SunPower a set rate for the electricity through a 20-year power purchase agreement
(PPA) with an annual increase of 2 percent, which is less than the expected increases in
traditional energy costs. “The new, high-efficiency SunPower® solar power system will
cut our greenhouse gas emissions, help us mitigate rising energy costs, and reduce our
electricity bill, resulting in lower rates for our customers.” said Masnada. “Our decision to
invest in this system that generates emission-free, reliable solar power is a win-win-win,
benefitting the environment, CLWA and our ratepayers.”

 Santa Clarita Water Division’s New Headquarters: Having served as Vice President of
Valencia Water Co. from 1985 to 1992, Masnada has experience in — and an
appreciation of — the retail side of local water operations. At CLWA, he not only
oversees CLWA’s role as a State Water Project wholesaler, but also its ownership of the Santa Clarita Water Division, one of the SCV’s four water retailers. He said it was
gratifying in 2011 to see the SCWD move into much-needed new headquarters in the
Centre Pointe business complex. “The Santa Clarita Water Division had grown to the
point where we simply needed more room,” Masnada said, adding the new 13,000-
square-foot headquarters utilized “smart construction” techniques that will minimize
energy usage as well as heating and cooling expenses.

Masnada, who’s an avid skier and enjoys “checking the snowpack” at Mammoth Mountain on winter and spring weekends, gives all credit to CLWA’s staff. “I’m extremely proud of these accomplishments,” Masnada said, “and especially of the team we have at the agency that makes it all happen. By fulfilling potential and not just filling positions,
great things happen and we’ve been fortunate here at CLWA — we’ve assembled an amazing team and they are producing amazing results.”

###

About the Castaic Lake Water Agency:
The Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) is the Santa Clarita Valley’s public water wholesaler.
CLWA operates two treatment plants, two pump stations, two storage facilities, and over 17
miles of transmission pipelines. Our mission is to provide reliable, quality water at a reasonable
cost to the Santa Clarita Valley. www.clwa.org
For more information, please contact:
Dirk Marks
Water Resources Manager
Castaic Lake Water Agency
dmarks@clwa.org

Jeff Koelewyn has firsthand knowledge to prove the point: As the Castaic Lake Water Agency’s Laboratory and Regulatory Affairs Supervisor, Koelewyn recognizes the importance of chemistry — and biology and microbiology — in ensuring that we all can take [...]]]>  

Scientific Expertise a Key for a High-Quality Water Supply

Jeff Koelewyn

When your son or daughter is in high school and complains about a chemistry experiment, hand him or her a glass of water and say, “If it wasn’t for chemistry, you couldn’t drink this.”

Jeff Koelewyn has firsthand knowledge to prove the point: As the Castaic Lake Water Agency’s Laboratory and Regulatory Affairs Supervisor, Koelewyn recognizes the importance of chemistry — and biology and microbiology — in ensuring that we all can take that drink of water with no doubts, and no reservations.

“Water quality is taken very seriously here,” Koelewyn said. “As well as going beyond what the minimum regulations require; we perform many more tests than what we have to do.”

Koelewyn supervises the water quality lab, which monitors and tests the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply at various points, 24 hours a day.

“There are automatic systems that monitor water quality 24/7, but then we also do a variety of tests in the laboratory,” Koelewyn said. “We analyze samples from all of our systems, the Rio Vista and Earl Schmidt water treatment plants, the perchlorateA chemical used in manufacturing rocket fuel that has contaminated some California groundwaterWater that has percolated into natural, underground aquifers; water in the ground, not a puddle of water on the ground. basins. Perchlorate interferes with iodide uptake into the thyroid gland. The disruption of thyroid functions leads to changes in metabolism in adults and normal growth and development in children. treatment plant, and also from our distribution system. So, we’re doing many kinds of tests to ensure that the water quality is high.”

Koelewyn, who accumulated 20 years of commercial laboratory experience before joining CLWA, has a degree in chemistry from U.C. Berkeley and supervises four chemists and a field sampler who draws samples from various locations in CLWA’s distribution system each day.

Fortunately, he says, most of the time their jobs are preventive in nature.

“We have some very sophisticated instruments in our lab to verify the absence of contaminants. We can detect dissolved metals down to the parts-per-billion levels,” Koelewyn said. “We verify that there are no bacteriaPlural of bacteriumA microscopic unicellular organism that lacks a nuclear membrane. Some can cause disease.. or disease-causing agents in the water.

One of the challenges of his job, he said, is keeping up with all of the government regulations regarding water quality.

“Sometimes you feel like a lawyer,” he said of reading and deciphering government regulations and keeping up with changes that are designed to ensure public water agencies are constantly abreast of any new external factors that could impact municipal water supplies.

Koelewyn added that he and his staff members take a great deal of pride in constantly giving everyone in the Santa Clarita Valley peace of mind that, when they turn on the tap, the water that pours into their glass is safe, reliable and of high quality.

It’s like performing a successful chemistry experiment — every day.

###

About the Castaic Lake Water Agency:
Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) is a public water wholesaler that provides about half of the water that Santa Clarita households and businesses use. CLWA operates three treatment plants, three pump stations, three storage facilities, and over 45 miles of transmission pipelines. Our mission is to provide reliable, quality water at a reasonable cost to the Santa Clarita Valley. www.clwa.org

For more information, please contact:

Dirk Marks
Water Resources Manager
Castaic Lake Water Agency
dmarks@clwa.org

Its name may be whimsical, but the APES program teachers don’t monkey around when it comes to teaching high school students about the complexities of Earth’s natural resources.

“They are so efficient at their jobs; they are very good with the kids,” said Casey Gordon, who schedules Castaic Lake Water Agency’s student education programs.   “They keep the students’ undivided attention for the full two to three hours. They are [...]]]> Advanced High School Students Get Hands-On Learning in APES Program

Its name may be whimsical, but the APES program teachers don’t monkey around when it comes to teaching high school students about the complexities of Earth’s natural resources.

“They are so efficient at their jobs; they are very good with the kids,” said Casey Gordon, who schedules Castaic Lake Water Agency’s student education programs.   “They keep the students’ undivided attention for the full two to three hours. They are constantly moving.”

Jenny McNerney, Aileen McDonald and Cindy Brady are the Advanced Placement Environmental Science or APES instructors who helped develop the high-energy program, which works in conjunction with advanced placement classes at Valencia, Canyon, Saugus and West Ranch high schools.

Participants visit CLWA’s Rio Vista Treatment Plant for classes and labs, many of which are conducted outdoors and help students prepare for AP science exams. Topics include soil structure, water quality, how the State Water Project works, and current environmental issues — always with an underlying message of environmental stewardship and conservation.

McNerney, who has worked on CLWA’s education team for 12 years, said it has been gratifying to see the educational programs grow.

“When I first started here I’d say we started with 1,500 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and now we serve about 15,000 in all grades,” McNerney said. “Every age group is different, and it’s all hands-on.

McDonald said, “The workshop is an exciting opportunity for AP Environmental Science students to get a hands-on introduction to some of the aspects of their upcoming coursework.”

Brady said CLWA’s education specialists strive to keep the lessons relevant.

“We make things current, we talk about real life and real-time information,” said Brady. “For example, people think that waterborne diseases only happen in third world countries, but look what happened in New Orleans. How do we handle that? What do we do? That’s why we have treatment facilities. When you turn on your faucet you never have to worry about whether your water is safe.”

Brady takes a great deal of pride in furthering the teens’ education. “I think being a teacher is a tremendous impact on the community and children’s lives. The information that we leave with the kids is great for future generations.”

The water saving potential for urinals is often ignored by businesses. Typically flushing at 1.5 gallons per flush or more, businesses have the potential to nearly eliminate this water use. New urinal models use one pint (0.125 gallons) per flush or less. While replacing urinals can be costly, there are new alternatives. Ecoblue offers a new product, the Ecoblue Cube, which can convert most standard(1) A recommended practice in the [...]]]> Urinal Retrofits Save Business Water and Money

The water saving potential for urinals is often ignored by businesses. Typically flushing at 1.5 gallons per flush or more, businesses have the potential to nearly eliminate this water use. New urinal models use one pint (0.125 gallons) per flush or less. While replacing urinals can be costly, there are new alternatives. Ecoblue offers a new product, the Ecoblue Cube, which can convert most standard(1) A recommended practice in the manufacturing of products or materials or in the conduct of a business, art, or profession. Such standards may or may not be used as (or called) specifications. (2) A document that specifies the minimum acceptable characteristics of a product or material, issued by an organization that develops such documents (e.g., an American Water Works Association standard). (3) A numerical contaminant limit set by a regulatory agency (e.g., a US Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level). urinals to highly water efficient, odor free devices.

Salt Creek Grille Restaurant in Valencia recently retrofitted their urinals with Ecoblue Cubes. Greg Amsler, Salt Creek owner, is happy with the cleanliness and lack of odor, but what he loves is the water use reduction. Customers have commented that they’re happy to see the restaurant doing something to save water. Maintenance staff uses a special key to flush the urinals twice daily. Despite using special cleaners to preserve the Ecoblue Cubes, cleaning costs have not increased. The cost savings associated with water savings outweigh the cost of Ecoblue Cubes. Retrofitting urinals provides businesses with the opportunity to save both water and money.

 You recycle your aluminum cans, right? Plastic bottles? Paper products?

Most Santa Clarita Valley residents would answer, “Of course!” Recycling is an important part of our community’s collective effort to help protect the environment and use the planet’s resources wisely. And, Jeff Ford, Principal Water Resources Planner for Castaic Lake Water Agency, is looking to help our valley take its recycling successes up a notch.

Make that a big notch.

“Of all of [...]]]> Water Resources Planner Navigates Regulations, Technical Challenges

 You recycle your aluminum cans, right? Plastic bottles? Paper products?

Most Santa Clarita Valley residents would answer, “Of course!” Recycling is an important part of our community’s collective effort to help protect the environment and use the planet’s resources wisely. And, Jeff Ford, Principal Water Resources Planner for Castaic Lake Water Agency, is looking to help our valley take its recycling successes up a notch.

Make that a big notch.

“Of all of our new sources of water supply that we will need in the future, this is by far the one that will grow the most,” Ford said of recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking., a key element of CLWA’s plans for the SCV’s future water resources.

“One of the themes that we always reinforce is that water is a valuable resource, and we want to use it as efficiently as possible,” Ford said. “Obviously, one prong of that is water conservation measures. Another prong is the reuse of water from the reclamation plants here in the valley.”

Ford, who has lived in the Santa Clarita Valley for 24 years, shoulders a broad range of responsibilities at CLWA, including grant applications and administration, water resource planning, and communicating with the state Department of Water Resources to manage CLWA’s State Water Project supplies.

Before joining CLWA he handled environmental issues — including compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA) - Requires an assessment of the possible environmental impacts of projects. and the Endangered SpeciesA species of animal or plant threatened with extinction. Erosion – The processes of picking up, moving, shaping and depositing sediments by various agents; agents of erosion include streams, glaciers, wind and gravity. Act — for several agencies, and worked for the cities of Los Angeles and Simi Valley, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Metropolitan Water District.

Now, one of his major goals is to help CLWA and the local water retailers increase their use of recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. from the current level of 400 acre-feet per year to nearly 23,000 acre-feet per year by the year 2050, as envisioned in CLWA’s 2010 Urban Water Management Plan. An acre-foot(AF) – A common water industry unit of measurement. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or the amount of water needed to cover one acre with water one foot deep. An acre-foot serves annual needs of two typical California families. is enough water to cover an acre one foot deep — and is considered to be adequate supply for two families for one year.

Ford said recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. will be used for non-potableDrinkable. Non-potable means non-drinkable. purposes, primarily irrigationSupplying water to agriculture by artificial means; for example, pumping water onto crops in an area where rainfall is insufficient. of large landscaped areas like parks, golf courses and common areas. Even though the recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. won’t be suitable for your tap, it will free up other water supplies for potableDrinkable. Non-potable means non-drinkable. use.

“The fact that the water we’ll recycle is already here locally is an advantage, in terms of cost,” Ford said, since one of water’s major costs is transporting it to where it’s needed.

In the coming years, Ford will work with other agencies to ensure CLWA’s water recycling efforts comply with environmental regulations and address any concerns raised by other government agencies.

“We have to make sure that we are protecting downstream uses of the water,” Ford said. “We have to negotiate with the Sanitation Districts for the use of the water from their reclamation plants, we have to get clearance from environmental agencies to ensure that the dischargeThe amount of water flowing past a location in a stream/river in a certain amount of time – usually expressed in liters per second or gallons per minute. being removed won’t have significant biological effects on the Santa Clara River, and we have to work with current users to enable them to be able to make the switch once the recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. is available.”

The overall water recycling effort will be done in phases in the coming years. The next planned phase is a pipelineCarries water above or underground to homes and businesses. that will take off from the existing recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. line near Valencia Boulevard and The Old Road, and it will go under the freeway, along Rockwell Canyon Road, and run south to Lyons Avenue and Orchard Village Road — serving the major irrigationSupplying water to agriculture by artificial means; for example, pumping water onto crops in an area where rainfall is insufficient. users along its path, Ford said.

“It should be in construction within two years,” Ford said, adding he’s gratified by the fact that all of the planning for water recycling will eventually result in an even more reliable supply of water for the entire community.

“This is just one part of our effort to promote the efficient use of our precious resources,” Ford said, “and every drop of recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. we can use for irrigationSupplying water to agriculture by artificial means; for example, pumping water onto crops in an area where rainfall is insufficient. frees up another drop of water for potableDrinkable. Non-potable means non-drinkable. uses. There will soon come a time when using recycledWastewater cleaned for re-use, usually for nonpotable purposes such as irrigating landscape and refilling aquifers. waterWastewaterWater that has waste material in it. that has been cleaned so that it can be reused for most purposes except drinking. for irrigationSupplying water to agriculture by artificial means; for example, pumping water onto crops in an area where rainfall is insufficient. will be a common occurrence, like dropping an aluminum can into the recycling bin.”

To read the press release, click here. ]]> Via State Water Contractors: Federal proposal to release enormous amounts of freshwater from state’s reservoirsA pond or lake where water is collected and stored until it is needed. was rejected today in federal court. Fall X2 proposal not supported by scientific evidence, judge orders significantly modified measure to reduce water supply impacts.

To read the press release, click here.

Brian Folsom is at once humble about the scope of his job, and keenly aware of its importance.

When you ask him to explain his role as Engineering and Operations Manager for the Castaic Lake Water Agency, he answers matter-of-factly: I oversee the design and construction of our facilities, and then the operation and maintenance of those facilities as well as the water quality, and make sure we comply with all regulations and water [...]]]> Engineering and Operations Manager Oversees Construction, Daily Operations

Brian Folsom is at once humble about the scope of his job, and keenly aware of its importance.

When you ask him to explain his role as Engineering and Operations Manager for the Castaic Lake Water Agency, he answers matter-of-factly: I oversee the design and construction of our facilities, and then the operation and maintenance of those facilities as well as the water quality, and make sure we comply with all regulations and water quality standards.

Oh. Is that all?

Folsom and his team of 37 employees cover a lot of ground, and he credits everyone on the team with not only the day-to-day successes that enable residents to open their taps in confidence that the water supply is reliable and high-quality, but also the design and construction successes that enable CLWA to stay ahead of the curve in planning for the Santa Clarita Valley’s future water needs.

In fact, at press time, Folsom and his team were nearing a major milestone: completion of an expansion project that more than doubles the capacity of the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant, from 30 to 66 million gallons per day. Combined with CLWA’s Earl Schmidt FiltrationPassing water through coal, sand and gravel to remove particles. Floc – Clumps of impurities removed from water during the purification process; formed when alum is added to impure water. Plant, it gives the agency sufficient treatment capacity to handle anticipated needs for the next 15 to 20 years.

It’s been a two-year construction period, which is almost done,  said Folsom, a 23-year SCV resident and a registered civil engineer who has been with CLWA for four years after working 17 years for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Our Engineering Department is serving as the project manager, that includes everything from planning to design and now overseeing construction.

Folsom said the $38.7 million construction project includes, among other things, six new clarifier and filter structures, new chemical delivery and storage facilities and a new washwater return basin. All of this, while his team continued to handle its day-to-day responsibilities.

Again, Folsom says matter-of-factly, there haven’t been many hiccups.

One of the things that I’m particularly proud of is, despite all of the construction on the site and the number of people who have been involved, there has been a lack of impact on our daily operations. CLWA staff and the contractor and our consultants have partnered together to do a really good job.

If Folsom could convey one message about his team to the public, it’s that all of the engineering and operations staff members care a great deal about the end result of their work.

We hope people understand that everyone who works here takes a lot of pride in what we do. It’s important to us that the water is both reliable and high-quality, and that takes a lot of work, he said. One of the reasons that I gravitated toward the water field is that I get satisfaction out of doing something that helps the public. I mean, you can’t live without water. I get satisfaction from that.