January 23, 2013
The Honorable Barbara Boxer, Chairperson
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington DC 20510
Dear Senator Boxer:
The undersigned organizations request that managed aquifer recharge projects (MAR) be included as
eligible projects under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) provision being
drafted as part of the Water Resources Development Act. Water supply challenges will continue and
increase driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, demographic changes, loss of snow
pack, and droughts. MAR is an important tool that can assist in sustaining future water supplies and
WIFIA can advance its use.
Water for underground storage may come from streams, groundwater, water reclamation plants, or
other sources. Recharge of the aquifer may be accomplished through enhanced water infiltration
techniques, such as retention ponds and spreading basins, or through direct well injection. Project
scale can range from the individual household level, such as home rain gardens, to expansive regional
projects.
California is a leader in this water management technique. The Orange County Water District (OCWD)
started using MAR in 1936 to refill the basin aquifer. Today OCWD has one of the largest MAR systems in
the world that has more than doubled the yield of the groundwater basin. One of the keys to its
successful MAR program is the District’s Groundwater Replenishment System, which has produced 100
billion gallons of ultra-pure water over the past five years to recharge groundwater. The recharged
water has helped the basin to weather multi-year droughts by stabilizing local supplies and has a smaller
energy footprint than alternative sources of water. The City of Roseville has two injection wells and is
constructing two additional wells as this letter is written.
The use of MAR reaches well beyond California.

Southern New Jersey has at least 19 operating aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well fields,
storing seasonally available treated drinking water from surface water sources in a deep,
confined aquifer.

New Mexico’s Bear Canyon Recharge Demonstration Project is testing the use of MAR in that
state. The project is using surface water to recharge the aquifer via an in-stream infiltration
system and storing the water as a drought reserve for the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water
Utility Authority.

“Many water purveyors use aquifer storage and recovery facilities in Oregon to manage
drinking-water supplies,” according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
We ask that you work with us to ensure that language in the WIFIA section allows for the various forms
of managed aquifer recharge to be eligible for financing. Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours,
J. Michael Mortensson, Executive Director
California Groundwater Association
Sarah Raker, President
Groundwater Resources Association of California
Mike Markus, General Manager
Orange County Water District
Kevin B. McCray, Executive Director
National Ground Water Association
Bevin A. Beaudet, P.E., Department Director
Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department
Grant Davis, General Manager
Sonoma County Water Agency
Robb Whitaker, General Manager
Water Replenishment District of Southern California