The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) is a regional water wholesaler and the largest supplier of treated water in the United States. Established in 1928 by the California State Legislature, its core mission is to provide its service area with adequate and reliable supplies of high-quality water, while operating in an environmentally and economically responsible manner. The organization's headquarters are located at 700 North Alameda Street in Los Angeles, California.

MWD serves as a wholesale water supplier to 26 member agencies, including 14 cities, 11 municipal water districts, and one county water authority, collectively providing water to approximately 19 million people across six Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. Its primary water sources are the Colorado River Aqueduct, which MWD owns and operates, and the State Water Project, for which it is the largest contractor. The district manages an extensive infrastructure network, including three major reservoirs (Lake Mathews, Lake Skinner, and Diamond Valley Lake), six smaller reservoirs, 830 miles of large-scale pipelines, 16 hydroelectric facilities, and five water treatment plants.

Recent developments include the Board of Directors' unanimous adoption of a two-year budget for 2026/27 and 2027/28, which allocates funding for rehabilitating aging infrastructure and advancing a significant recycled water project. Shivaji Deshmukh serves as the General Manager, while Adán Ortega Jr. is the Chair of the Board of Directors. MWD has also been actively involved in discussions regarding the revised Lower Basin proposal for Colorado River operations through 2028, with General Manager Deshmukh emphasizing the need for conservation amidst historically dry conditions and the ongoing efforts to secure a seven-state agreement for long-term water management.