[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 81 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E499-E500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PAUL JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 11, 2021

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate 
Paul D. Jones II who will be retiring this spring after a highly 
distinguished career of service in the California water industry. For 
over twenty-five years, Mr. Jones has been the top executive officer 
for major water agencies in the Southern California region. Over the 
last decade, Mr. Jones has served as the General Manager for Eastern 
Municipal Water District (EMWD), which serves nearly one million 
customers in western Riverside County.
  During his tenure at EMWD, Mr. Jones has been widely recognized for 
his leadership in elevating Eastern to one of the most respected and 
forward-thinking water, wastewater and recycled water agencies in the 
nation. Mr. Jones played an instrumental role in notable 
accomplishments for EMWD, such as the agency's achievement of 100 
percent beneficial reuse of its recycled water supplies, the initiation 
of its potable reuse program, and the spearheading of key 
infrastructure investments which will provide safe and reliable 
services for future generations. Under Paul's direction,

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EMWD was able to substantially expand the agency's desalination program 
creating a new local water source for its residents. The federal and 
state funding secured for this initiative resulted in the construction 
of the South Perris Desalter project, which will produce 6,000 acre-
feet per year of potable water.
  Mr. Jones was also a leading advocate for transforming the Bureau of 
Reclamation's Title XVI recycled water funding program into a 
competitive grant program--a goal which was realized through the 
enactment of the Water Infrastructure Investment for the Nation (WIIN) 
Act in 2016. While President of the WateReuse Association, Mr. Jones 
helped to develop the nation's first ever federal Water Reuse Action 
Plan which formally launched in February 2020. During California's 
historic drought, Mr. Jones worked with other state water leaders to 
create a more equitable system that rewarded proactive water use 
efficiency measures. In addition, Paul has led the way in California 
for a more viable alternative to assist failing water systems without 
the need for a statewide tax on all water users.
  On the local level, Mr. Jones has played a key role in a local agency 
partnership to transform the area near Diamond Valley Lake into an 
environmentally sustainable recreational area. In addition, on behalf 
of EMWD Mr. Jones has made innumerable contributions at the 
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Santa Ana 
Watershed Project Authority, the Association of California Water 
Agencies, the Southern California Water Coalition, and the California 
WateReuse Association. I would like to thank Paul Jones for his service 
to the community and water industry and wish him much happiness in his 
retirement.

                          ____________________