Laserfiche WebLink
Malt <br />SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA <br />155 Bovet Road, Suite 302 <br />Phone: (650) 349 -3000 <br />CONTACT: Carolynne Born <br />Communications Officer <br />650- 349 -3000 <br />WATER USERS ASSOCIATION <br />San Mateo, CA 94402 <br />FAX: (650) 349 -8395 <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br />January 10, 2003 <br />Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency to Form <br />Announcement by Arthur Jensen, General Manager <br />Bay Area Water Users Association <br />The Alameda County Water District (ACWD) has taken the first step to form the Bay Area Water <br />Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) by declaring its intention to form the new agency. <br />BAWSCA was authorized in state legislation passed in 2002, giving the 26 public agencies in San <br />Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda counties that buy water from the San Francisco regional water <br />system (Retch Hetchy) a stronger role in protecting the health, safety and economic wellbeing of <br />citizens in those counties. Among the agencies, which are now part of the Bay Area Water Users <br />Association ( BAWUA), a minimum of 15 of them — representing at least 60 percent of the water <br />users — must vote to join BAWSCA. The ACWD board action, taken January 9, began the official <br />process of forming BAWSCA. <br />"We are pleased that ACWD has taken the first step in what we consider a progressive move for <br />Bay Area water reliability and quality," said Arthur Jensen, BAWUA General Manager. <br />"BAWSCA gives us the ability to work cooperatively with San Francisco, especially to fix the <br />Hetch Hetchy system. We look forward to additional agencies acting to join BAWSCA." <br />BAWSCA will have the statutory authority to acquire water supplies that are supplemental to the <br />San Francisco water system; plan and implement water conservation and the use of recycled water; <br />and finance public works projects its members want it to perform. <br />ACWD will send notices to the other 25 member agencies of BAWUA advising them of its action <br />and asking them to consider joining BAWSCA. Once the threshold has been reached, the new <br />agency is formed. <br />The Bay Area Water Users Association was formed in 1958, and incorporated in 1991 as a <br />nonprofit organization, to advocate for the water interests of the agencies and districts in San Mateo, <br />Santa Clara and Alameda counties that purchase water from the San Francisco regional water <br />system under a Master Contract. Members include 26 public agencies, Stanford University and the <br />California Water Service Company. <br />ufi� <br />