Earlier this week in Pasadena, city officials held a public meeting about the city’s plan for long-term water management. Like many cities in Southern California, Pasadena relies heavily on imported water — approximately 65 percent comes from external sources. During extended dry periods, this dependence on water imports puts residents, prospective growth, and environmental needs at risk.

Pollution and lack of water recycling are two main challenges to improving the city’s water supply, according to Tim Brick, the chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District: “We’ve got special problems because of local water contamination and the failure of the city to adopt a recycled water program.” 

Deputy chief of Pasadena Water and Power Eric Klinker stated that the city aims to double or triple its usage of recycled water. Although Pasadena does not have a water recycling facility of its own, it is part owner of a nearby plant in Glendale, and the city hopes to establish a pipeline to that facility by 2014.

This spring, the Planning and Conservation League is co-sponsoring SB 918 (Pavley), a bill that would create guidelines for safely expanding the use of recycled water in California – helping cities like Pasadena develop secure, drought-resilient local water supplies.

As Pasadena creates a new water plan, it is also exploring other cost-effective strategies, including groundwater remediation and increasing local stormwater capture. These solutions, and other cost-effective means of increasing regional self-sufficiency, can be found in the Planning and Conservation League’s recently-released report 8 Affordable Water Solutions for California.