A Three-Part Documentary
To Quench A Thirst
The documentary series is based on the book “To Quench a Thirst: A brief history of water in the San Diego region,” first published by the San Diego County Water Authority in 2002 and updated in 2023.
The videos highlight the historic challenges the region overcame to meet the water needs of a growing population and vibrant economy despite few local water resources. The story includes building the first major dams and reservoirs in the late 1800s to modern investments and prudent management of water supplies that sustain homes and businesses even during very dry years. The three-part video series was made possible by a grant from The Hans and Margaret Doe Charitable Trust.
Documentary Part 1
Documentary Part 2
Documentary Part 3
The Mission Continues
The San Diego County Water Authority’s story started during the height of World War II, when it became clear that imported water supplies were necessary to sustain a booming region on the forefront of the war effort.
On June 9, 1944, San Diego voters approved the agency’s formation under the County Water Authority Act. Imported water arrived three years later to slake the thirst of a growing population just weeks before local supplies would have run out. For its first several decades, the Water Authority served mainly as a pumps-and-pipes agency, delivering imported water to local cities and water districts.
But a severe drought in the early 1990s forced the region to confront the fact that continuing to provide safe and reliable water demanded a diverse portfolio of supplies instead of near-total reliance on a single source.
In the decades that followed, the Water Authority transformed itself into one of the most pioneering, visionary, agile and driven water agencies in the world, winning national and international acclaim for engineering and water management excellence. Today, the Water Authority is a leader in water conservation, asset management, innovation, seawater desalination and water resource planning to serve the region’s 3.3 million residents and sustain its $262 billion economy for decades to come.