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STATE OF CALIFORNIA – CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
1416 NINTH STREET, P.O. BOX 942836
SACRAMENTO, CA 94236-0001
(916) 653-5791

February 7, 2018

To: Public Water Agencies Participating in WaterFix

As you know, California WaterFix marked several key milestones in 2017 and the state
continues to work to advance the project through the remaining steps needed to begin
construction.

Public water agencies that receive water supplies through contracts with the state have
expressed their support for WaterFix. In a series of public meetings last fall, twelve of
these agencies voted to advance WaterFix because they understand that California’s
primary supply of clean water for 25 million people and 3 million acres of farmland is
increasingly unreliable. They include Santa Clara Valley Water District, Kern County
Water Agency, Zone 7 Water Agency, Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California, Alameda County Water District, Castaic Lake Water Agency, Coachella
Valley Water District, Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency, San Bernardino Valley
Municipal Water District, Desert Water Agency, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency and
Mojave Water Agency. The state needs a real solution that provides reliable, clean and
safe water to California businesses, farms and residents. WaterFix is a critical element
of the state’s overall strategy to address climate change and ensure a reliable water
supply for the future, as outlined in Governor Brown’s California Water Action Plan.

As the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has previously stated, the scope of
WaterFix ultimately hinges on our partnership with local water agencies and their
support for the project. With the support of the public water agencies that contract with
the state for their supplies, DWR is proposing to pursue WaterFix as planned, but also
take actions that would allow construction to be implemented in stages. Being prepared
to implement this option is directly responsive to the stated needs of the participating
agencies, and would align project implementation with current funding commitments. It
would also allow us to take significant steps toward improving environmental conditions.

Under this approach, DWR proposes to first focus on elements of WaterFix that are
consistent with the support expressed by public water agencies. The option for a first
stage includes two intakes with a total capacity of 6,000 cubic-feet per second (cfs), one
tunnel, one intermediate forebay, and one pumping station.

The second stage would consist of a third intake with 3,000 cfs capacity, a second
tunnel, and a second pumping station, which will bring the total project capacity from
6,000 cfs in the first phase to 9,000 cfs capacity in total. If funding for all elements of
the currently-proposed WaterFix is not available when construction begins, stage two
would begin once additional funding commitments are made from supporting water
agencies.

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