Emergency Response Key to Marin County, Calif., Water Plan

The Marin County, Calif., Municipal Water District continues work on a five-year strategic plan that will ensure emergency response readiness in a state trying to keep up with the trends of increased wildfire and flooding caused by climate change.

Part of the plan includes forging contracts for engineering that are compliant with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help facilitate execution of projects after emergencies.

Other focus areas include water supply, fiscal responsibility, watershed stewardship and organizational excellence.

The agency’s water infrastructure includes more than 900 miles of pipeline, 130 water storage tanks, 97 gas pump stations, seven reservoirs and dams, and three treatment plants, all on challenging topography.

“Maintaining and modernizing this infrastructure is core to ensuring system resiliency through our day-to-day needs and also ensuring that we’re resilient through droughts, including natural and manmade disasters,” Alex Anaya, engineering director at the water district, told the Marin Independent Journal.

Efficient energy planning is another objective of the plan. It will also evaluate infrastructure and consider new renewable power and cost-saving options.