South San Joaquin Irrigation District Presents $5,000 Scholarship to Student

Business Wire, May 15, 2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The South San Joaquin Irrigation District presented a $5,000 scholarship to Daniel Holtz, a student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) recognized the scholarship winner during the annual Spring Conference and Exhibition in Sacramento.

The South San Joaquin Irrigation District honored Holtz's scholarship at a ceremony at the district office on April 27.

Holtz, a junior at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, is majoring in BioResource and Agriculture Engineering with a water concentration. Upon graduation, he hopes to begin a career to help improve sustainability and reliability of water delivery and water quality to Southern California.

The South San Joaquin Irrigation District was awarded the opportunity to present the scholarship for its 2006 Clair A. Hill Award, presented at ACWA's 2006 Spring Conference and Exhibition, in Monterey. South San Joaquin Irrigation District won the award as a result of its South County Water Supply Program: A Promise Kept.

This cooperative effort by South San Joaquin Irrigation District and several local cities came about when all parties realized that the quantity and quality of water in the region was being negatively affected by over-drafting of groundwater in the 72,000-acre region. After 20 years of construction and planning, the program ultimately resulted in the protection and enhancement of the economic health of the region by providing reliable, safe, supplemental water to the cities without adverse impacts to agricultural customers, all while reducing reliance on groundwater.

ACWA's Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence is an annual awards program that recognizes outstanding achievements by public water agencies. The winning agency receives a $5,000 scholarship to award to a deserving student in the name of Clair A. Hill, founder of the consulting engineering firm CH2M Hill. The winner is recognized at the association's conference as well as throughout the year.

The funding for the scholarship is provided by ACWA Associate CH2M Hill, in honor of its founder, Clair A. Hill.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 440 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, contact ACWA at 916/441-4545 or visit www.acwa.com.