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In Clovis, Water Technology Conference Focuses On Drought

Ezra David Romero
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Valley Public Radio

More than 300 farmers, businessmen, and local and state leaders gathered in Clovis today to talk about drought and how to use water more wisely at the 2014 Water Technology Conference.

“Water is a shared resource for the state and we’ve moved water long distances to meet water needs, but also we’re trying to make sure that locals have a lot of say in their water future,” says David Zoldoske is the director of the International Center for Water Technology at Fresno State that put the event together.

"We are looking to the regions to come up with those solutions to tell us how we can best help them be successful."

The center hopes the event brings state and local leaders together to solve California’s water issues.

Credit Ezra David Romero / Valley Public Radio
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Valley Public Radio
The Chilean company BioFiltro has water cleaning systems all over the globe.

“We are looking to the regions to come up with those solutions to tell us how we can best help them be successful,” says Kamyar Guivetchi, the division manager for the Department of Water Resources.

In the exhibit hall lined with water affiliated companies, Sanjar Taromi pitches those walking by a waste water treatment system using multiple layers of rock “a layer of wood shaving and a layer of red worms and their manure which is called worm castings. What happens is we take waste water and we sprinkle it on top of these beds and it takes four hours from when it hits to come out clean.”

BioFiltrorecently launched a pilot program with the west side town of Firebaugh to turn used city water into H20 for agricultural purposes. And in order to make that water drinkable for the town’s citizen’s additional water purification methods must be put into place.

But even so, the multiple speakers pointed out that it will take more than a conference and roundtable discussions to solve California’s water woes. They say prompt action is needed.

Ezra David Romero is an award-winning radio reporter and producer. His stories have run on Morning Edition, Morning Edition Saturday, Morning Edition Sunday, All Things Considered, Here & Now, The Salt, Latino USA, KQED, KALW, Harvest Public Radio, etc.