Media Corner

For Immediate Release
December 20, 2004

Central Basin MWD Mourns the Loss of Past Director

E. Thornton Ibbetson Remembered for Long Tenure with Central Basin Carson, CA - Central Basin Municipal Water District was saddened by the passing of past Director E. Thornton "Ibby" Ibbetson on Monday, December 13th.

Mr. Ibbetson was appointed by the Central Basin Board of Directors to represent the District on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Board of Directors from 1959 until 1998. He also served as Chairman of the Board of MWD from January 1983 through December 1986. During his tenure representing Central Basin at MWD, Mr. Ibbetson was involved with Colorado River Issues and represented MWD on the Colorado River Board of California.

"Central Basin has lost a great director and a great friend," said Central Basin Board President Bob Apodaca. "Ibby's contributions to the District are immeasurable and will be remembered for years to come."

In 1995, Central Basin honored Mr. Ibbetson by dedicating one of its recycled water distribution systems in his name. Today, the E. Thornton Ibbetson Century Recycled Water Project helps deliver more than 1.3 billion gallons of recycled water to more than 170 industrial, commercial and landscape irrigation sites throughout the District's service area.

Born in Los Angeles in 1923, Mr. Ibbetson attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Long Beach City College and the California Institute of Technology at Pasadena. In 1983 he was inducted into the Long Beach City College Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame.

During his extensive career, Mr. Ibbetson served as president and director of the Union Development Company, Inc., Union Development Financial, Inc. and Union Development Company of

Hawaii, Inc. He also served as vice president of Valley Properties, Inc. and was a partner in Ibbetson- Marsh Realtors.

Funeral and burial services will be private. A public memorial service will be held in early January 2005. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to one of Mr. Ibbetson's favorite charities: SCTC Marine Biology Educational Scholarship Fund, Attention: Paul Southgate P.O. Box 87 Long Beach, CA 90801 or Bellflower Kiwanis Foundation, Attention: Martin Zilinskas P.O. Box 601 Bellflower, CA 90707. Condolences can be sent to Mrs. Harriett Ibbetson, 4160 Locust Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807.