The letter that brought down Adel Hagekhalil, the general manager of the Metropolitan Water District, is getting buried by the news it generated.
The big headline about the letter, Politico first revealed, is that its claims of dysfunctional management and harassment led the Metropolitan Board of Directors to place Hagekhalil on administrative leave and appoint an interim general manager.
The board of the agency that delivers water to nearly half of Californians will consider firing its top leader over claims of retaliation, harassment and cultivating a toxic work environment at a special meeting Thursday morning, according to an agenda and three people with knowledge.
The Biden administration has announced that Southern California’s plan to build the largest wastewater recycling plant in the nation will be supported by $99.2 million in federal funds, an investment that officials said represents a down payment toward making the region more resilient to the effects of climate change.
The recent rains which drenched Southern California over the last several months were a very good thing, said Adel Hagekhalil, the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, as he addressed the Pasadena City Council Monday, but he added, “We can’t be victims to hydrology. We can’t be victims of climate change. What we need to do is prepare for it.”
Bracing for an ever-growing gap between supply and demand of Colorado River water, three Southwestern states today unveiled an agreement that would cut California’s supply by about 10% in most years.
Bracing for an ever-growing gap between supply and demand of Colorado River water, three Southwestern states today unveiled an agreement that would cut California’s portion by about 10% in most years.
With many areas of Southern California starved for shade, the region’s largest water supplier has launched a rebate program offering residents and businesses up to $500 as an incentive to plant trees.
Metropolitan Water District representative Cynthia Kurtz reported that the agency has 3.4 million acre-feet of water in storage, enough to meet the future demand of its customers regardless of the weather.
California is set to adopt regulations that will allow for sewage to be extensively treated, transformed into pure drinking water and delivered directly to people’s taps.
The regulations are expected to be approved Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board, enabling water suppliers to begin building advanced treatment plants that will turn wastewater into a source of clean drinking water.
Millions of Southern Californians who were required to dramatically reduce their water use last year will have increased access to water under two projects recently announced by the Metropolitan Water District.
