SCWC Celebrates 25th Anniversary as Southern California's Leading Voice in Water Policy

SCWC Celebrates 25th Anniversary as Southern California's Leading Voice in
Water Policy
Annual Dinner Kicks Off with Keynote Speaker Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southern California
Water Committee is celebrating its 25th year as the region's leading water
policy forum tonight at its Silver Jubilee Dinner featuring keynote speaker
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and special honorees. The SCWC, founded in
1984, has been a voice for Southern California throughout the past quarter
century, navigating complicated water issues and playing a critical role in
building water policy consensus throughout the region and the state.

Since its beginning, the SCWC has been the only organization in the region
bringing the diverse interests of regional and local elected officials,
opinion leaders, water agencies, business and agricultural organizations
together on California's water issues. The organization's work has helped lay
the framework for developing a comprehensive water solution that benefits the
entire state, while assuring a long term sustainable water supply for Southern
California.

"For 25 years, the Southern California Water Committee has been a leading
voice for safe, clean and reliable water up and down our state. Today we need
leaders to take action to achieve a comprehensive water plan that will serve
the state over the next 25 years and beyond. Working together, we will get
this water deal done and we will build a brighter more prosperous future for
our state," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This year, SCWC will be honoring three of California's most notable water
leaders - Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force Members Monica Florian and Tom
McKernan will be receiving the Harriet Weider Water Leadership Award and
SCWC's former executive director, Joan Dym, will be receiving a lifetime
achievement award. Sponsors of the event include Metropolitan Water District
of Southern California, Southern California Edison, AECOM, Cordoba
Corporation, Operating Engineers, Local 12, Kern County Water Agency, Majestic
Realty Co., Paramount Farms, Santa Margarita Water District and the
California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers.

Through education and outreach, the SCWC is working with other state and
regional leaders to develop and support a comprehensive solution that restores
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) ecosystem and restores a reliable
water supply for the state. Water for 25 million people and three million
acres of agricultural land is moved through the Delta -- but the existing
conveyance system needs replacement to avoid widespread water shortages. A
comprehensive solution must include implementation of water conveyance
improvements as outlined in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. The SCWC is just
one of the many organizations throughout California that has voiced support
for a new conveyance facility.

"We are at a critical juncture in statewide water policy. There is
overwhelming consensus that a major overhaul is needed in order to restore the
ecosystem and assure a reliable water supply to the state. California is
poised to make some difficult, but necessary, decisions that will require
strong leadership and vision. The Southern California Water Committee looks
forward to its continued partnership with Governor Schwarzenegger, the State
Legislature, and our Northern California counterparts as we enter a new era of
water policy," said Charles Wilson, chairman, Southern California Water
Committee.

SCWC also acknowledges and extends its gratitude to its past chairs, who all
helped tremendously to bring SCWC to where it is today:

-- 1984 - 1989 Hon. Harriett Weider, Orange County Supervisor (retired)
-- 1989 - 1991 Hon. John Flynn, Ventura County Supervisor (retired)
-- 1991 - 1992 Hon. Ben Austin, Kern County Supervisor (retired)
-- 1992 - 1994 Donald Hanley, UNOCAL (retired)
-- 1994 - 1995 Hon. Bill Cole, Imperial County Supervisor (retired)
-- 1995 - 1998 Robert Krieger, Krieger & Stewart (current SCWC trustee)
-- 1998 - 2001 Stephen Zapoticzny, CP Kelco (current SCWC trustee)
-- 2001 -2004 Stacy Roscoe, Procter and Gamble (retired, current SCWC
trustee)

-- 2004- 2007 James Noyes, L.A. County Department of Public Works
(retired, current SCWC trustee)

Established in 1984, the Southern California Water Committee is a nonprofit,
nonpartisan, public education partnership dedicated to informing Southern
Californians about our water needs and our state's water resources. Spanning
Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Ventura
and Kern Counties, the SCWC's members include representatives from business,
government, agriculture, water agencies and the general public. Visit us at
www.socalwater.org and find us on Facebook.

SOURCE The Southern California Water Committee

Fiona Hutton or Liz Craver, +1-818-760-2121, cell, +1-310-795-6364, both for
The Southern California Water Committee