Washington D.C. – Congressman Kevin McCarthy will be the Keynote Speaker at the Vision 2061 Conference, hosted by the Kern County Water Agency (KCWA) on Friday, October 21. Marking KCWA's 50th Anniversary, the Conference will bring water leaders together to foster ideas to ensure California's water needs are met over the next 50 years.

"California is home to more than 37 million people, and that number is projected to grow to 60 million by 2050," said Congressman McCarthy. "Our local families, businesses, farmers and ranchers know first-hand that water shortages mean fewer jobs, less economic growth and reduced crop production. Without concrete solutions to ensure a more reliable water supply, water shortages – and the negative impacts they have on our communities throughout the Central Valley and right here in Bakersfield – will be more frequent and more severe. The good news is that there are solutions.

"From tackling government overregulation to building additional storage and conveyance systems to continuing to innovate for conservation, there are ways for water to flow more reliably through California. KCWA has been on the front lines for the past fifty years, working to ensure our communities have the water they need, and I am pleased the Agency is looking ahead to the next fifty with this conference. Water is the lifeblood of our community, and I promise to continue the fight to ensure we get the water we need to thrive."

For more information or to register for the conference, visit: http://vision2061.kcwa.com/