Burbank does not have ownership rights to naturally occurring water underneath the City and is dependent on imported water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District.

However, Burbank receives groundwater credits based on the amount of water BWP imports to Burbank that eventually makes it way down to underground aquifers.

BWP purchases imported water that customers use for landscape irrigation and other uses that percolate down into underground aquifer. Burbank receives groundwater credits for 20% of the total water distributed in Burbank including recycled water. 

Using the groundwater credits, BWP pumps from wells in Burbank and then treats the water to remove volatile organic compounds. All drinking water in Burbank meets or exceeds State and Federal standards including chromium.

BWP is able to purchase lower cost untreated water that is imported to the local area and directly placed on to the ground at Pacoima, Ca. The untreated imported water then works its way down into underground aquifers. BWP receives 100% ground water credit and is able to pump from wells in Burbank an equal amount of water that was placed into the ground at Pacoima.

Trading

Recycled Water for Ground Water Credits
BWP recently signed an agreement to supply Los Angeles with recycled water in exchange for additional groundwater credits.

State Water Project

The majority of purchased drinking water from the Metropolitan Water District imported to Burbank derives from the State Water Project and travels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in Northern California. The Delta’s ecosystem and ability to reliably deliver water is facing severe vulnerabilities. This is an important topic to Burbank because of our reliance on imported water that travels through the Delta.