Protecting Our Long-Term Water Supply

FOWD’s commitment to our customers includes protecting our long-term water supply. This includes securing long-term sources of surface water and groundwater supply. FOWD is accomplishing this goal by participating in and supporting several regional long-range water supply planning efforts. Some of the FOWD’s  more prominent programs and partnerships include:

Conjunctive Use

We’ve united efforts with 16 other Sacramento-area water providers to foster regional water supply reliability. The agencies collectively agreed to use surface water during normal and wet years to reserve and replenish our area’s groundwater supply for dry years. Having an active conjunctive use program will help us secure a stable and reliable water source for the environment during drought periods.

Regional Water Master Plan

As part of the American River Basin Cooperating Agencies (ARBCA), we are developing a long-range master plan to protect the health, safety and longevity of our groundwater basin and the environment on which it is dependent.

Sacramento Groundwater Authority

Our membership in the Sacramento Groundwater Authority,  founded in 1998, involves working with other organizations to monitor, protect, and control the groundwater basin beneath our region.

Water Forum Successor Effort

As a Water Forum Successor Effort  member, we support programs that will protect the region’s long-term water supply, while also preserving the American River’s aesthetic and biological resources.

Regional Water Authority

FOWD representatives actively participate in the Regional Water Authority (RWA). Inaugurated in June 2001, the RWA provides a unified voice on water issues in Northern California, as well as helps its members—including the Fair Oaks Water District—protect and enhance the reliability, availability, affordability, and quality of water resources.

Conservation Programs

We are signatories to the California Urban Water Conservation Council’s Best Management Practices (BMPs), which help develop and provide effective, measurable and long-term water conservation programs. We currently implement a number of BMPs to protect our long-term water supply. Among the services and programs we offer are free water assessments, ultra-low flush toilet rebates, public education programs, school outreach, and many others.