Page 56 - 2023 AV EDGE RTR

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n
D water
u
s Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (AVEK)
t
r In the face of an unprecedented drought, the water providers
within the greater Antelope Valley region worked together with
y the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency’s (AVEK) to conserve ToP 2022 milesTones
imported water supplies. While AVEK continued to develop new
strategies to adapt to climate change, its customers were also No. 1 AVEK’s largest No. 2 AVEK progressed
working hard to provide for the needs of their own customers. water storage project, the further improving its
Although some much-needed rain has fallen within the Antelope High Desert Water Bank water distribution system
Valley, with California Aqueduct levels appearing full at times, (HDWB), will improve for its customers with
the 2022 water year was categorized as critically dry. AVEK’s reliability of State the South North Intertie
annual allocation from the state decreased to only 5 percent, Water Project California Pipeline Project (SNIP).
providing only for the bare minimum for health and safety. As Aqueduct deliveries The SNIP Phase II project
AVEK worked alongside its customers, AVEK also continued in and mitigate threats has received a $6.1
the development of groundwater storage projects, building on from climate change. million grant from the
these innovative partnerships as the agency moves forward. Built in partnership with State Department of
This expansion of groundwater storage capacity has enabled the Metropolitan Water Water Resources. These
the Agency to store water it receives in wet years for future use District, the state’s largest funds are awarded to aid
by their customers during dry periods. water supplier, this project communities statewide
AVEK has seven locations throughout the Valley. has a storage capacity of for drought relief projects.
280,000 acre-feet. An When completed, the SNIP
acre-foot of water, or Phase II pipeline will
326,000 gallons, is enough interconnect the agency’s
“The water industry is faced with even greater challenges to supply one to two Westside Water Bank
than it has seen before. Extensive periods of drought households for a year. with its largest plant,
and unpredictable rain and snowfall events threaten the the Quartz Hill Water
availability and reliability of water supplies. Increasing the Treatment Plant, enabling
capacity to move and store water, reducing reliance on the full utilization of the
State Water Project California Aqueduct and recharging recovered water coming
local groundwater basins are actions that build resiliency, from the banking site.
safeguard our precious water resources, and contribute to
a sustainable future.” — AVEK

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