Placer County Water Agency has provided high quality water for domestic, irrigation, industrial and recreational use, plus harnessed the county's water resources to generate electricity for the past 50 years.
On a broader scale, PCWA will continue to play a key role in the economic well-being and environmental health of Placer County through energetic leadership and stewardship of the county's water resources.
One thing for certain, the population of Placer County will continue to grow and most of the future growth is taking place in western Placer County.
"The PCWA's future is beginning to unfold by looking ahead to see where the water is going to be used effectively, and it looks like it is going to be western Placer County," David Breninger, PCWA general manager, said recently.
Roseville's water demands for now and for the future are available from surface water. In 2004, Roseville's total demand was 32,612 acre feet. Projected water demand is expected to be 55,792 acre feet in 2025.
Roseville currently has a surface water supply of up to 66,000 acre feet.
Looking toward the future, the city of Roseville is doing something different -- banking treated water in aquifers.
"Western Placer and Placer County many times are like a microcosm for California water. There are only so many places that you can have a reservoir, but beneath your feet in aquifers there may be ways of storing water. There may be ways, if it can be permitted, to store water and withdraw that water during drought time or for different emergencies," Breninger said.
Historically, Roseville's water supply has come from Folsom Lake, with the water treated at Roseville's Water Treatment Plant. Roseville is taking some treated water and pumping it into aquifers.
Currently Roseville does not utilize groundwater, but is pursuing opportunities to use banked groundwater supplies for backup and daily peak demands.
In order to provide water for backup demands, Roseville maintains four municipal supply wells to augment surface water supplies during daily and peak demand periods. Roseville is ready for aquifer storage and recovery. Future water demands could someday see the use of banked treated water from aquifers in Roseville.
Underneath the plains and rolling hills of western Placer County is a network of groundwater aquifers. These banks of water-filled sand, gravel and clay provide communities and businesses with backup, emergency and peak supplies of drinking water
To protect and preserve this resource, four water purveyors - the city of Roseville, PCWA, the city of Lincoln and the California American Water Company - have formally partnered to prepare the Western Placer County Groundwater Management Plan.
Scheduled for completion in 2007, the WPCGMP is a collaborative effort by local water purveyors to aid in maintaining a high quality, reliable groundwater supply.
The goal of the WPCGMP is to maintain the quality and ensure the long term availability of groundwater to meet backup, emergency and peak demands without adversely affecting other ground water uses within the WPCGMP area.
According to Breninger, there is more thinking about groundwater banking in California -- buying it, injecting it, storing it and using it when necessary.
Breninger does not see the need for PCWA to get involved with groundwater banking.
"We have the adequate supply of surface water when our infrastructure was built," he said. "Surface water is much higher and better quality - frankly, more affordable. And it is tied to the much larger infrastructure, which allows us to meet demand easier."
Looking at insurance for the future in case of a drought or emergency, the city of Roseville is taking treated water and putting it in the aquifer for storage
According to the Western Placer County Groundwater Management Plan August 2007, by 2010 projected water demand for treated and raw water from PCWA will be more than 100,000 acre feet and more than 150,000 acre feet by 2025.
How will PCWA be able to fulfill the future demand? Stored water in reservoirs.
"The emphasis has always been with the Placer County and the cities --Roseville, Lincoln, and Rocklin -- have stood firm with the urbanization of Placer County to be on surface water.
The PCWA board of directors will host a 50th anniversary commemorative program and open house at a special meeting planned for Thursday, Sept. 13. The public is invited.
Saul Wiseman can be reached at swiseman368@sbcglobal.net.