In the wake of the departing Helen Z. Hansen, 2nd District City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal was sworn in yesterday as a representative to the 37-member Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.  The Board serves six counties and more than 18 million residents.  Lowenthal is the youngest member to ever be appointed to the board.

In her new role, Lowenthal will draw on years of experience and activism relating to water usage.  A teacher of water policy at Cal State Long Beach, she was appointed as an alternate to the California Coastal Commission in 2007.  The Commission works with several of the state’s coastal cities to regulate land and water use.  

Lowenthal has also served as chief of strategic planning and initiatives for the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, and was government affairs manager for the Central Basin Municipal Water District and West Basin Municipal Water District.

The city of Long Beach has been a model example for water conservation in the Southern California region.  A water crisis was announced in September 2007, and Long Beach has since received the 2008 Green California Leadership Award for water management, reducing total use by 8% and setting record lows in three of the last six months.  

Despite continued efforts, the Long Beach Water Department estimates that Northern California’s water reserves currently store 30% less than they did at this time last year.

By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor

Disclosure: The Long Beach Water Department is an advertiser of the lbpost.com