"Tap Water: Drink of Choice" Topic of New PBS Segment

SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - November 2, 2009) - The incredibly high quality of California's drinking water is the focus of the latest segment of the "California's Water" series for public television, produced by Huell Howser and underwritten by members of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). The new segment debuts Nov. 3 in Sacramento and will air throughout the month on PBS affiliates around the state.

In "Tap Water: Drink of Choice," Huell's first stop is Chez Panisse, a five-star restaurant in Berkeley serving tap water exclusively to its customers. The restaurant's water supplier, East Bay Municipal Water District, provides high quality, good tasting water for a fraction of the cost of bottled water.

Next, Huell stops by Los Vaqueros Reservoir, a water quality facility near Brentwood. There, he learns how the Contra Costa Water District stores high quality Delta water for use later when the weather conditions and river flow make Delta water salty.

During the last portion of the segment, Huell tours the sophisticated treatment facilities at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, where cutting-edge techniques are used to treat water from the California and Los Angeles aqueducts.

"California's drinking water is among the safest in the world," Huell says. "And it's delicious too!"

The segment will air at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 on KVIE in Sacramento and at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 on KCET in Los Angeles. It will air statewide on PBS stations (check local listings for details).

The "California's Water" series began airing in April 2006 and covers issues identified in ACWA's comprehensive policy document, "No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California's Water." More than 20 segments have aired to date.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Jennifer Persike ACWA Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs 916/441-4545 or 916/296-3981 (cell)