Care of workers. I apologize if things got heated that you made some pretty rough insinuations. So thank you. Testify about recycling projects. Technology investments and private sector incentives. This energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing is chaired by senator jeff fla flake. [inaudible conversations] this hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on water and power will come to order. For the purpose of todays hearing is to receive testimony on water supply and drought issues. We will hear testimony on a range of topics including infrastructure supplied, certainty of planning and innovative Management Practices that are critical to maintaining the secure Water Supplies that includes items that are crucial to arizona such as the Colorado River drought planning and watershed restoration better use of existing reservoirs, the reliable water supply and drought protection cannot be achieved without infrastructure and forward thinking management and planning. Often times discussions at the federal level are dictated by cost. However its important that the Congress Also consider the the barriers local committees face as they plan and pursue new Water Projects. I look forward to the hearing how the states an state and locs encourage the judicious water use and how the permits streamline regulatory predict ability can ensure that all solutions are on the table. We will also hear about innovations and Water Treatment technology and the project finance that can help the infrastructure supply challenges. We live in an age of you know when you turn off the tap that there is water there and the water will always be there which means that supply certainty is critical for managers protecting the rights with the collaborative planning as we will see today to help ensure the water certainty and as we have seen in arizona providing the certainty can also unleash investment in innovative partnerships that have proven Water Management. Finally, changes to the operation managed existing infrastructure can be costeffective Water Strategies as well. Im glad the committee will hear from several Witnesses Today who can speak to the importance of using the most uptodate hydrology and forecast operating the existing reservoirs. I think we can learn from the testimonies and build on last years legislation to try to address the needs for arizona and the nation. Water managers on the ground have great ideas about how to increase water supply and drought resistance and i look forward to working with them on the use efforts in addition to the experts today. As i know for all of my life whenever it rains no matter where i was living while i would sesee rain i would have the instinct to call my dad because as an old rancher that is when he was in a good mood. To see which were running and which tanks would fill. That was our version of excitement in snowflake arizona. But anyway, im glad we are having this hearing and to have the ranking or from maine and turneturn to him for the opening statement. Thank you for the witness is joining us this morning especially the constituent from maine. Like me you would probably rather be in mena on a day in august. As the chairman mentioned the crucial help the water supply. We are not immune to the impacts of a fragile water supply due to drought conditions. It impacted 70 of the state in a very significant percentage i think it is almost half depend upon the wells for their water and the drought finally ended this past april but it was a very serious matter for us. And i understand my colleagues on the west probably are not very sympathetic to hearing about droughts, but they do occur in all regions of the country they have these serious issues so im looking forward to hearing about the different approaches that have been developed in other parts of the country. The critical nature of Water Management across the country has stimulated a variety of approaches to planning and financing. For example, we will hear from martha from the new England Environmental Finance Center with regards to the importance of Green Infrastructure improvements on the water supply im also looking forward to hearing how we can promote Publicprivate Partnerships in Water Infrastructure projects and use the lessons in other areas wherand otherareas where e improvements are in fact desperately needed and we will hear about the value of planning and flexibility that we can provide in the Water Management and how innovations in water use technology can help make Water Management more effective. We have concerns around the country and needs depending on where we are we can certainly take lessons from these folks have joined us this morning to think differently and use more creative approaches to Water Management, Publicprivate Partnerships come Innovative Technology and innovative solutions. Mr. Chairman, thank you for calling the hearing, and i look forward to hearing from the witnesses and their testimony. Thank you. We will turn to the Witnesses Today. Thank you for joining us. I will begin the panel with the director of the Arizona Department of resources and i appreciate the working relationship we have had over the years. We look forward to having your testifyoutestify before the send next well have the chair. I must say these are typically western focused and so it is nice to have a witness here that will talk about things going on in maine. Ranking member, members of the committee come under director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Thank you for providing me the opportunity to testify on behalf of the state of arizona. Ive submitted testimony for the record and my comments will highlight key issues in their testimony. Arizona continues to develop and improve the framework and policy prescriptions are institutions and infrastructure needed to secure the Water Resources through a certainty and prepare for drought. The state prioritized his actions and collaborates with the federal government. Aggressive Water Management actions have resulted in the reduction in arizonas water use while its population and economic output has increased all while decreasing the groundwater usage. For the past 20 years drought has been a constant in arizona. A shortage on the river is declared about 84 of the total toll to arizona. This drives litigation programs in the state and now i want to share some examples in Arizona FirstNuclear Generating station contracted for the reclaim cooling purpose in 1973 became a common practice. In 1986 and 1984 to incentivize underground storage to help reduce the cost and the water can be used for drought management or growth. It was created in 1996 and the Colorado River shortages. It stored over 4 million for arizona but also 600,000 for nevada. They are facilitated by federally authorized tribal water rights settlement and one reason the states policy is settled rather than litigate. There are 11 with pending so much work still needs to be done. Majomajor activities are ongoind over the past decade even with the existing shortage criteria has risen to acceptable levels. In response, arizona, nevada, california and the bureau negotiated a draft drums continuously planned as it is commonly referred to. For the flexibility to recover some of that water. Under, they would take additional reductions in for the first time, california would take reductions to help protect the elevations. A draft minutes with mexico would have mexico take actions to the dcp when both agreements are finalized. Directing the secretary interior to execute will be pursued when it is finalized. That will create certainty for all the parties that as it is demonstrated by the outline of the collaboration and all hands on deck approach for the future of the Colorado River. Within this faith we will do more with our existing infrastructure of th the bureauf reclamation and operators of the project. The agreement creates a Clear Pathway for the recovery of water stored underground and the transport of the water in the canal. It will lower the cost and create flexibility. Another opportunity is the use of that control the space to increase the shield. The issues forced the interested parties to set aside their efforts, streamlining the process similar to the amendment of senators insert into the bill last year it helped make that a reality. In conclusion, arizonas internal efforts to manage its Water Resources and collaborative efforts on the Colorado River will be most successful where federal oversight is minimized, regulations and process is reduced or streamlined and space and Water Resources honored. Thank you. Chair and flake, members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I serve on the board of supervisors for Sonoma County california and also as the chairwoman of the board of directors for the Sonoma County water agency. Very proud to be here today to provide a local perspective on Water Management. We believe that securing the water means investing in the Water Resources. Water is life. We have the pleasure and responsibility to deliver safe and affordable Drinking Water 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Drought or flood we must secure a water supply. Its outdated and in need of updates. It improved longrange forecasting in order to manage Water Resources for both extreme, wet and dry conditions. We manage the projects a of the life water supply for the people in sonoma. The lakes are dual purpose reservoirs and the ordering for managers for the protection and water agency manages to functions. The lake water control manual was created in 1959 nearly 60 years later the manual has not been adjusted. In 2013 the core was required to leave release 20,000 to reach the reservoir because it had to adhere to the antiquated rule despite the predictions though rain was forecast. It dropped to 25 of capacity later this season and lost water valued at tens of millions of dollars. We have updated their roles in Sonoma County it would have been better positioned to adapt to the prolonged drought that followed in the next four years. The unpredictability in the weather patterns with the underlying goal of becoming more resilient. Not only is it critical for the security but also makes sense economically. We embark upon the initiative in 2014 with federal and state partners to improve the Weather Forecast modeling and managing the operations. The effort is called forecasts informed reservoir operations better known as firo. This summer the partnership released a preliminary viability assessment of the lake. The ultimate goal was to put into place a modern rule. We need better data and longterm forecasting to improve Water Management. In california we experience atmospheric rivers to provide about 50 of the yearly rainfall in california within just a few storms. The frequency and location is the primary driver of the flood and drought however rainfall forecasting beyond ten to 14 days remains unreliable. Its crucial for operating water supply and Flood Control infrastructure. The forecasts are critical for improving Water Project operations and we are working with western states to build a coalition of stakeholders committed to working with our partners to improve the forecasting capabilities and the need for the global system to predict the weather patterns is critical. Better science leads to better data and will greatly benefit the operations. We are committed to working with this committee and other members of congress who secure the water future by investing in better technology. We know modern technology can be used more effectively to manage the reservoirs. Thank you for the opportunity to testify and im pleased to answer any questions that you may have. Knowing how busy you all are i would like to make three key points. First, clean water is essential for growing the economy by protecting the health and securing the nation. Second, theres costs and hope in the numerous examples around the country on how the state and local governments are saving money by investing in watershed conservation. The federal Government Support although helpful should be expanded. Clean water is a critical component of the brand and is essential for attracting and maintaining business, residents and a tour. We have computer chip manufacturers as well as proliferation all of which require plentiful supply. In the watershed alone almost 20,000 jobs depend on the basic health. Just as in the main entire country has seen numerous opportunities to protect the cost savings and provide multiple economic benefits. Its the economic engine of the entire state. The Water District has a Water Management program to keep the watershed healthy resistant to the species all ove over the pry objective of protecting the water quality. 90 of the watershed is privately owned into the Development Pressures are threatening the districts in filtration waiver. The district is considering the mix of scenarios from the private plans that include buffers the conservation easement and the sustainable forestry. They cost approximately one third of what it would cost to build them in filtration plant. If we added the other benefits like Wildlife Habitat protection, recreation for the cost of not building in filtration plants and increased tremendously. The Drinking Water source and caskill mountains ultimately saving approximately 5 billion compared to the constructing of the new filtration plant. The Tropical Storm caused extensive damage is in 2011. It should have been even higher and they were far less because large conserved wetland complex absorbs the floodwaters. The same with coastal flooding. The shoreline is increasingly vulnerable from the Sea Level Rise and there are economic benefits from preserving and restoring the coastal wetlands. The infrastructure that mimics nature into things like bayou retention areas are much more economical to manage the storm water and because there are many and diffused, the increase security by relying on the diversity of approaches rather than centralized facilities. The challenge in the country is to better use existing available funds. And second, to promote the infrastructure that mimics nature and finally, financing programs at the federal and state levels should reply here or at least encouraged Economic Analysis and evaluation of products that clearly show the cost benefits and tradeoffs of projects as in the portland Water District. By doing so, the most Cost Effective should encourage savings and to generate multiple benefits such as the Water Protection under resistance to the species. So the private and public land owners adopt the evaluation practices that achieve multiple benefits. I will leave you with this. And ounce of prevention is worth so help us Work Together to implement a costeffective strategies to protect the vital Water Resources and also provide multiple benefits at the same time. Thank you for your time. Good morning, chairman, Ranking Member and members o. To testify on the importance of securing the Sustainable Water future. I am the president and ceo of the division and the power business. Ge water is one of the worlds leading advanced Water TreatmentTechnology Companies with more than 50,000 customers operations at approximately 130 countries employing roughly 7. 5000 people worldwide. Our comprehensive set of Chemical Solutions and growing portfolio project to enhance wastewater fro, process activitd benefit the communities overcoming scarcity challenges, strengthening Environmental Stewardship and comply with the regulatory requirements. So far more than 4,000 of the customers are connected over 40,000 assets and the digital platform called inside which held saucepot demise the water efficiencies through realtime responsiveness to changing operating conditions. Overall, the technologies enable customers to achieve over 3 billion gallons per day. To continue the position o in te industry within the water industry we expect