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CNN Live Saturday

Southern California Wants to Build a Water Pipeline

Aired July 28, 2001 - 15:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Future earthquakes in California could pose a major problem for a fragile type of bloodline in the state. It's a massive pipeline that carries a vital natural resource to the Southern California desert. CNN's Hena Cuevas explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HENA CUEVAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This machine has been digging eight miles of tunnel for over a year and a half. It's all part of the $1.2 billion inland feeder project, more than 40 miles of tunnels and pipeline that will move water to this reservoir, doubling the amount that can be stored for Southern California.

(on camera): Once the project is completed in 2007, tunnels such as this one will begin to transport water from the northern part of the state to water-deprived Southern California.

PHILLIP PACE, METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT: We'll be able to take the water when it's available, when it's plentiful, and bring it down and store it for when we need it.

CUEVAS (voice-over): With the state's growing population, there are concerns about the water supply. Southern California is a desert, and its water is imported from the north and the Colorado River.

But it's a fragile setup. Experts say an earthquake or a drought could cut off that supply.

WILLIAM PATZERT, OCEANOGRAPHER: It's really -- in some ways, it's our 401(k) water policy for our future.

CUEVAS: The water will be kept in the 4,500-acre Diamond Valley Lake Reservoir, which will hold enough water to meet Southern California's needs for up to six months, even if other supplies are cut off. But some say this may not be the best way to deal with the area's lack of water.

JOE DEVINNY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: We really have to take the attitude that this will probably be the last major water supply project in California. From now on, we're going to have to make do with improved conservation and wiser water use.

CUEVAS: Others say this is just an example of California planning for further expansion. PATZERT: Many people think that gold opened up California in 1848, but that's not really the case. What opened up California was liquid gold.

CUEVAS: Gold which the state wants to make sure is always available.

Hena Cuevas, CNN, Redlands, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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