Washington, D.C. -- Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, was so pleased to welcome Denis Bilodeau of the Orange County Water District as a witness at today’s Committee hearing focused on innovative water supply technologies.  

Mr. Bilodeau testified that Senator Boxer was “able to secure the first federal appropriation towards construction of GWRS (Groundwater Replenishment System).  The GWRS has allowed our region to take control of our future.” 

Mr. Bilodeau told Senator Boxer that “without that recycling project, they’d be in big trouble.”  

That is why Senator Boxer is pushing for more of these types of projects. 

Another witness at the hearing, M. Kevin Price, Senior Science and Technology Advisor at the Middle East Desalination Research Center in Oman, testified about new approaches to improve water supplies, including desalination and indirect and direct potable water reuse, which have been used successfully in Israel.  He testified: “The lessons learned in Israel have consequences for the U.S. especially in drought plagued area near the sea...By developing desalination as a part of their integrated water resources, Israel was able to develop an industry that can now compete internationally.” 

Senator Boxer looks forward to working with Chairman Inhofe to expand ways to develop innovative water technologies, including incorporating these ideas in a new Water Resources Development Act. 

Full text of Senator Boxer’s opening statement from the hearing is here. 

Full text of Mr. Bilodeau’s testimony is here. 

Full text of Mr. Price’s testimony is here.

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