Howser, ACWA to team for PBS series on California water

Huell Howser, the host of the Public Broadcasting Service’s “California Gold” series, has teamed up with the Association of California Water Agencies to host a PBS series on California water.

Howser will present various water issues of the state in a non-political style which is intended to entertain as well as educate Californians. The series is also intended to bring to the public the basic messages of ACWA’s water policy document “No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water.”

“We’re so excited about this opportunity to share the word about water in California,” said Randy Fiorini, the new president of the ACWA board.

ACWA’s fall conference was held in San Diego November 29-December 2, and Howser was the guest speaker at the December 1 luncheon. Howser, who is originally from Tennessee and came to California 23 years ago to work for CBS, first became acquainted with California water issues during his “California Gold” series when he was invited to visit the California River Aqueduct tunnel through Mount San Jacinto while the aqueduct was closed for maintenance.

Howser also remained at the conference for a meeting on the blueprint immediately following the luncheon. The blueprint includes a set of implementation principles and 12 recommendations.

“Basically this series will follow the blueprint,” said ACWA executive director Steve Hall.

The exact content for the series is still to be determined, as are the exact number of episodes. “If we see another story we can develop, we can throw extra stuff in there,” Howser said.

There will be a minimum of 12 episodes and an expected maximum of 15 or sixteen.

What is known is that Howser will be hosting the series. “We couldn’t have chosen a better person to convey this message,” Hall said.

“We’re approaching this with the idea that the concept behind this series is to raise awareness of water issues and the importance of water,” Howser said.

The topics to be covered will include the Colorado River, the Bay Delta, local water management planning, surface and groundwater storage, water recycling, desalination, flood control, watersheds and climate change.

“Some will be more complicated than others, some will have more levels to them,” Howser said.

“They’re not going to have a predetermined mold,” Howser said. “I think that’s what makes them exciting.”

Howser noted that some programs will have more of a historical perspective than others, which is also the case with California Gold. He also noted the need for the programs to be independent of ACWA. “You don’t want these programs to look like infomercials,” he said.

Hall will, however, serve as a consultant to Howser. “We have a mutual respect for each other,” Howser said of ACWA.

“The idea is that we’re all in this thing together,” Howser said. “It’s creating awareness of water, and that will work well for everybody.”

The ability to educate the public about the basics of water will also require the funds to produce the series. The estimated total cost is $360,000, and a task force from the ACWA board of directors has volunteered to spearhead the fundraising effort. Fiorini will chair the task force.

“We need to rapidly run through the fundraising procedure. Our goal is to have this wrapped up by mid-January,” Fiorini said. “We think that the goal is achievable.”

Various credit will be given to segment sponsors (who cover at least the entire $30,000 cost to underwrite one segment), major sponsors of at least $20,000, sponsors of at least $10,000 and contributors of at least $1,000. Howser anticipates that production will begin early this year.

PBS has 13 stations in California, but the intent is to use the segments after the PBS series has been aired. “It doesn’t become outdated quickly, so I believe we’ll be able to use these products for years to come,” Hall said.

The segments will be available in DVD format. “From the beginning our idea was that this will be much more than a television series,” Howser said.

Schools, service clubs and libraries are among the possible outlets for further play of the series. “Once these programs are bought and paid for, they’re yours,” Howser said.

Local water agencies that purchase copies of the DVD may also be able to air the shows locally. “Local cable is a perfect example of how this program can be used and used and used,” Howser said.

The segments will not specifically feature or favor any district or users. “The measure of success will be how much of what we propose in the blueprint actually gets implemented,” Hall said.

The implementation principles of the blueprint are to keep ACWA members well-informed, work through appropriate ACWA committees and task forces, build coalitions with allied interests, seek administrative solutions where possible, implement a coordinated advocacy strategy as well as a coordinated communications and outreach strategy, prioritize actions through the ACWA board and include a funding strategy.

The blueprint’s 12 recommendations are to implement the Delta improvement program, evaluate long-term threats to the Delta and appoint a high-level commission to recommend actions, ensure delivery of adequate Colorado River supplies and protect California’s rights to that river’s water, implement and fund the Sacramento Valley water management program, develop additional surface and groundwater storage, support and fund local efforts to expand recycling and implement best management practices for urban and agricultural users, improve the quality of drinking water supplies for all users, work with local agencies to overcome the constraints of developing seawater and brackish groundwater desalination, modernize the Endangered Species Act and other regulations to allow water projects to be processed and species to recover, expedite voluntary water transfers, clarify the state’s role in flood control and promote high-benefit projects and support integrated regional water management plans.

Howser and ACWA are also working with the Water Education Foundation and note that they are open to other suggestions.

“I genuinely look forward to the opportunity,” Howser said.