ADVISORY/Metropolitan to Sign First-of-Its-Kind MOU with Federal Agency to Support Opportunities for Minority-Owned Small Businesses in Southern California.

News & Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Tuesday, July 8

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:         Signing ceremony for Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
              between Metropolitan Water District and Minority
              Business Development Agency (MBDA), an agency of the
              U.S. Department of Commerce, to launch joint effort in
              expanding opportunities for minority-owned small
              businesses in Southern California

WHEN:         9:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 8

WHERE:        Board Room, Metropolitan headquarters, 700 N. Alameda
              St., next to Union Station, downtown Los Angeles
              (Los Angeles County Thomas Guide, page 634, G-3)

PARTICIPANTS: Ronald N. Langston, National Director, MBDA
              Ronald R. Gastelum, Metropolitan president and chief
                executive officer

BACKGROUND:   With the common goals of promoting entrepreneurial
              development, stimulating growth for minority business
              enterprises and small business, and creating and
              retaining jobs in Southern California, Metropolitan and
              MBDA will formalize a partnership with the signing of
              this MOU.  The first of its kind for MBDA in the United
              States, this MOU will be used as a template for the rest
              of the nation.  Both agencies will pool their resources
              to better promote business opportunities and to service
              the needs of minority-owned and small business clients.

              MBDA has the responsibility of providing information,
              management and technical assistance through different
              resource centers in the United States to existing and
              prospective minority business enterprises.  This effort
              comes to a crossroads with the focus of Metropolitan's
              Regional and Small Business program that is working to
              expand contracting opportunities in Southern California.