Storm’s Runoff, Drought Raise Issues of Conservation, Waste

The discussion on Orange County’s underground water titled “Keeping Afloat” (March 10) pointing out the importance of replenishing the valuable ground-water basin in Orange County used by northern county area communities to obtain up to 80% of their water needs was very impressive.

Even more interesting was the historic water storage chart showing the present decline to about the same level it dropped to in 1977 after two years of drought.

You correctly noted that other ground-water basins are well managed, but then identified the general manager of the Central Basin Municipal Water District as one of those responsible for managing ground water in Los Angeles County.

While he is responsible for providing the communities his district serves with imported surface water, the person actually responsible for ground water replenishment for more than 3 million people in Los Angeles County is John W. Norman, general manager of Central and West Basin Water Replenishment District.

In contrast to Orange County, the Central and West Basins have been replenished so that they are essentially full. Central and West Basin water purveyors certainly have the flexibility to pump more water if necessary during an emergency and are planning to pump more this summer to offset the dwindling imported water reserves caused by the drought and curtailment of state water deliveries to Southern California.

This program has been going on for more than 30 years at Central and West Basin. This district also has the largest planned water reclamation program in the state.

JOHN G. JOHAM JR., Westminster. Joham was general manager of the Central and West Basin Water Replenishment District for 15 years and manager of the Central and West Basin Municipal Water District.