March 30, 2004 > Water, Our Precious Resource

A previous series of articles in the Tri-City Voice followed the history and struggle for control of water resources in the Tri-Cities, ending with the formation of the Alameda County Water District (ACWD). That is not the end of the story. A resource that is often taken for granted, water is the major component of our bodies and vital for survival. During years of plenty, little thought is given to how this ubiquitous substance makes its way to our homes and workplaces. However, in times of excess - either too much or too little of Mother Nature's liquid blessing - weather reports are front page news.

This thought is always prominent for water district employees; it is their job to create a smooth, seamless and safe flow of water to all residents throughout the year, wet or dry. Without competent management and planning, adequate supplies for our population would be a significant, often critical problem. ACWD employs 217 people to make sure that a supply of clean, safe water is always available to their customers. What do these people do? In the following series of articles, we will follow the path of water, whether from the Alameda Creek Watershed, Hetch-Hetchy or the Delta, and hear from the specialists who control its path and assist water customer needs.

Water management, planning, production and treatment will all be examined along with distribution and customer support. Look for the beginning of this series in the next issue of Tri-City Voice.