Scott S. Slater

Scott is best known for his capacity to creatively solve complex problems and overcome obstacles in project implementation.  Examples of his work include:   

• Cadiz Project. Project architect, manager, negotiator and implementer for all aspects of Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project, a water supply infrastructure project in Southern California. This public-private partnership is designed to put 50,000 acre-feet per to beneficial use annually by conserving water presently lost to evaporation from dry lakes and delivering it to the Colorado River Aqueduct via a 43-mile pipeline without causing a single adverse environmental impact. The Project was validated by 12 trial and appellate court opinions.  A subsequent project phase will include the importation and banking of surplus water in a groundwater bank and contributing to California’s effort to overcome its present storage deficit.   
• San Diego County Water Authority. Special counsel with ongoing responsibility for negotiating agreements to implement the Quantification Settlement Agreement and the Colorado River Delivery Agreement.  The lead negotiator in the multi-billion dollar SDCWA acquisition of 277,000 acre-feet of conserved water from the IID, the largest water transfer in United States history. 
• Chino Basin Desalter.  Facilitator and mediator in the formation of the Chino Basin Desalter Authority and $350 million water supply contracts.
• Chino Basin Optimum Basin Management Plan. Continuing representation of court-appointed watermaster with responsibility for managing groundwater resources within 225-mile watershed in the Inland Empire of Southern California.  Watermaster manages the extraction, transfer and storage of approximately 200,000 acre-feet of water annually, implementation of recharge master plan and distribution of recycled water.  Infrastructure investments over the past decade benefit more than one million people, and exceed $1 billion.
• Service Area Expansion. Golden State Water Company. Representing Golden State Water Company for development of a new water utility service area in Sutter County, California, including water resource and infrastructure planning, negotiation of water supply agreements, and acquisition of certificate of public convenience and necessity from the California Public Utilities Commission.
• Storage.  Negotiation of agreement to use the Upper American River Project for 20,000 acre-feet of surface water storage capacity for the benefit of the El Dorado Water and Power Authority.
• Pipelines:

• Water Supply Agreement for the Delivery of Water Through the Hueneme Pipeline. Lead negotiator for the City of Oxnard in acquiring a 40-year water supply from the United Water Conservation District in Ventura County.
• Water Wheeling Agreement: City of Oxnard and Ocean View Municipal Water District (1993).  Representation of facilities owner in obtaining fair compensation for the use of available pipeline capacity and development of supporting agreements.

Scott’s significant, recent water transactions include:

• Facilitator, negotiator and draftsman of a complex set of court approved agreements that will effectuate a novel groundwater management strategy in the Southern California Inland Empire. The agreements will allow for the harvesting of 400,000 acre-feet of groundwater and 10 mgd of expanded desalting capacity to dramatically curtail outflow to the Santa Ana River.
• Capped nearly a decade of effort by negotiating agreements for the largest water transfer in United States history. Served as special counsel to implement the Quantification Settlement Agreement and the Colorado River Delivery Agreement and lead negotiator in the multi-billion dollar SDCWA acquisition of 277,000 acre-feet of conserved water from the IID.  Continues to lead SDCWA’s negotiation efforts in implementing subsequent agreements presently valued in excess of $100 million Completed negotiations for an agreement for the joint use of the Upper American River Project (UARP) for the benefit of El Dorado County, an area of origin community at the headwaters of the American River.
• Lead negotiator of a $1 billion 30-year Colorado River Water exchange agreement for the San Diego County Water Authority. 
• Negotiated 30-year wastewater agreement for the City of Beverly Hills, City of Burbank and Universal Studios with the City of Los Angeles for use of the largest wastewater facility in the Western United States.
• Counsel of record for the City of Santa Paula in the $18 million acquisition of Santa Paula Water Works, the utility retail water purveyor to residents within the City of Santa Paula and the surrounding unincorporated area.