KEN MANNING,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

San Gabriel Basin
Water Quality Authority

 

Ken Manning was introduced to our club and he promptly told
us what a great organization we were by being so active in the community.  He then announced that he

belongs to the Covina Kiwanis Club and also had served as
President of the Hacienda Heights Kiwanis Club.  This, if course, met with some club bantering.

 

He has a long background in water management as he has been
a part of the San Gabriel Basin Quality Authority (SGBWQA), CEO of the Chino
Basin Watermaster, President of the Association of Groundwater Agencies and
currently serves as Chairman of the California Groundwater Coalition.

 

Mr. Manning holds a Bachelors of Science degree in
Architectural Design from California State Polytechnic State University and a
Masters in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge.

 

California Drought

 

Ken started his talk stating that California does not have a
“perfect drought”.   A perfect drought
is a drought that will last three to five years.  California does not have an average.  We experience a rain fall of five inches one year, the next year
it will be 28” and the next 10”.

 

Why does this happen to California?  Global warming.  Climate change.   Our
state does not have a way to store water.
The best that we have is a lot of snow pack, as we had this past
winter.  Snow pack is best for storage,
as it releases the water slowly through thawing.

 

1932 Seven States Share the Colorado River

 

The following states share the water from the Colorado
River:  Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada,
Arizona, New Mexico and California.

 

Nevada, at this time, has grown in population.  Basically, Las Vegas has really grown, and
they need the water.  They had
experienced a long drought and if this drought had continued three more years,
there would not have been enough water to supply or generate electricity.

 

The issue that California has at this time is to get the
water to Southern California.  We have
had a large population growth and it will never cease.  All of California, north and south, are the
most desired areas in which to live.
Therefore, the water supply will never cease to be a problem for our
state.

 

Infrastructure of Pipes

 

The water pipes we are using were installed in the 1950s.  There are reports from various cities where
water pipes, because of age, are bursting and becoming a real problem.  This problem will most likely progress to
many cities as the pipes are very old and not up to standards and should be
replaced.

 

One difference in the water pipe usage is that we Southern
Californians are using more water outside in lawn and garden care.  Ken Manning said that we need to go to water
recycling and this will certainly be the future for California.

 

Orange County from the Santa Ana River is using 90% recycled
water.  This has been the norm for them
for the past 25 years.

 

Water
Desalination

 

Water Desalination
is the process of removing salt and dissolved solids from brackish or seawater
and is perhaps the way of the future.  This
water is currently being used in various areas of the state for outdoor
watering of plants and lawns.

 

Cities are sharing water and currently moving the water
around and there are more and more storage contracts between municipalities.

 

Homes that have been built recently have dual plumbing
systems so that water usage can be recycled for yard use.  Earlier this year we had a gentleman talk to
our club about this dual piping system in new homes, or being refitted for this
process in older homes.

 

San Gabriel Basin formed a new commission and Ken Manning,
today’s speaker, was the first Chairman and Bob Margett, past club member and
California State Senator was Vice Chairman.
Ken said that they worked well together and had a good time serving
together on this commission.

 

Water Contamination

 

Cleansers have gotten into ground water.  This was the big issue in 1973.  In 1997 it was found that rocket fuel was
also in the water systems.  How to
clean?  To date there have been 30
projects to clean up the water.  It cost
Northrup and many other corporations large amounts of money to clear up the
waters.

 

The Future  —

 

California, being so arid, and as population keeps on
growing, water will be a major concern for everyone.

 

As Ken Manning explained, there have been many studies and a
Task Force was formed to look into potential opportunities and impediments for
using seawater and brackish water desalination.  These various studies will bring about how the State of California
will handle the future and the problem of water.

 

An added comment:  In
the L.A. times, dated Sunday, October 9, 2011 a story headline “He had control
of California’s spigot”.  The judge in
charge of a major state water supply returns, at 70, to private practice.  His name is Oliver W Wanger.

 

The article went on to say “he returned to private practice,
leaving a record of long, complex rulings and a parting diatribe at federal
scientists that has echoed across the country.”

 

If interested in reading this article, it is front page news
of the L. A. Times, California Section.
This was very timely having heard a talk about this very subject two
days before at our Rotary Club.

 

Phyllis Corliss