The Water Authority issues both long-term and short-term debt. Debt payments are made solely from the agency’s net revenues. This debt, commonly referred to as “revenue bonds,” is typically issued to finance public works projects, such as water facilities. “Net revenues” consist of revenues generated by public works projects after paying for ongoing operations and maintenance costs of the projects. Revenues generated by the Water Authority are from the rates and charges paid by member agencies for constructing and operating the facilities that provide wholesale water supplies to the region.

Long-Term Debt

As of February 28, 2022, the Water Authority has approximately $1.9 billion of long-term debt outstanding.

Senior lien long-term debt is in the form of fixed-rate revenue bonds, with final maturities at the time of issuance in the 20- to 40-year range. The Subordinate Lien Water Revenue Refunding Bonds Series 2021S-1, are seven-year bonds maturing in 2028 and are included below as an outstanding long-term liability. Most of these bonds (except for the Series 2010B Water Revenue Bonds and the Series 2020A Water Revenue Refunding Bonds) are tax-exempt.

The Series 2010B Water Revenue Bonds were issued as taxable bonds pursuant to the “Build America Bonds” stimulus program created under the federal “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.” 

The Water Furnishing Revenue Bonds Series 2019 are subordinate to the pledge of Net Water Revenues for payment of Water Revenue Bonds and Certificates of Participation, Contracts, Reimbursement Obligations, and Subordinate Obligations.

Long-Term Active Debt Instruments – Official StatementsPrincipal Amount Outstanding
as of February 28, 2022
Taxable Offerings$
Water Revenue Bonds 2010B Build America Bonds (BABS), due May 1, 2049526,135,000
Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2020A (Green Bonds), due May 1, 2034283,470,000
Tax-Exempt Offerings 
Water Revenue Bonds, Series 2022A, due May 1, 2052170,000,000
Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021B (Green Bonds), due May 1, 2038271,455,000
Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021A (Green Bonds), due May 1, 2031117,690,000
Subordinate Lien Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021S-1, due May 1, 2028146,490,000
Water Furnishing Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2019 (Pipeline Bonds), due November 21, 2045182,580,000
Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2016B, due May 1, 203817,865,000  
Water Revenue Refunding bonds, Series 2015A, due May 1, 2029154,645,000
Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2013A, due May 1, 203417,120,000
Water Revenue Bonds 2005A COPs, due May 1, 20227,075,000
Water Revenue Bonds 1998A COPs, due May 1, 202811,685,000
TOTAL$1,905,365,000

Short-Term Debt

The Water Authority established its TECP Program in 1995. Commercial paper is a form of variable-rate debt and is issued with maturities of 1 to 270 days. When the commercial paper matures, it is rolled over to new investors by the Water Authority’s commercial paper dealers. The Water Authority has authorized the issuance of up to $245,000,000 of TECP, with $245,000,000 presently issued and outstanding. The TECP has been issued in two series – Series 9 ($135,000,000), and Series 10 ($110,000,000). Series 9 was issued on May 11, 2016 and is set to expire in June 2022. Series 10 was issued on June 19, 2019 and will expire in June 2024. Each of these series is supported with a bank “revolving credit and term loan agreement.”  As of June 30, 2021, no advances have been made under any of the revolving credit and term loan agreements.

Short-Term Active Debt InstrumentsSize (in Millions)Liquidity ProviderIssuing & Paying AgentDealers/Remarketing Agents
Series 9$135Bank of America, N.A.U.S. BankCitigroup
J.P. Morgan Chase
LOOP Capital
Merrill Lynch Pierce
RBC Capital Markets
Series 10$110Bank of the WestU.S. BankJ.P. Morgan Chase
Morgan Stanley
Merrill Lynch Pierce
Goldman Sachs
TOTAL$245   

The Water Authority issues debt to partially fund its Capital Improvement Program pursuant to the Long-Range Financing Plan. Debt proceeds may be used to pay for the design, acquisition, and construction of capital projects. From time to time, the Water Authority also issues debt to refinance outstanding debt obligations, typically to lower debt service payments.

2021 Long-Range Financing Plan

download this document2021 Long-Range Financing Plan

Registered Municipal Advisor Rules

download this documentMontague DeRose Certificate download this documentAcacia Certificate download this documentClean Energy Capital Certificate download this documentWater Authority IRMA Notice

Debt Ratings

CUSIP Information

Each debt issue of the Water Authority has a CUSIP number that allows the public to identify them using a six-digit CUSIP-prefix number. Each maturity of the issue then has its own identifying nine-digit CUSIP number, which is the six-digit CUSIP prefix for that issue plus three more digits.

CUSIP-prefix numbers for each debt issue

  • Series 1998, 2005, and 2008 Water Revenue Certificates of Participation issues – 797415
  • Series 2010 Water Revenue Bonds issue – 79741T
  • Series 2011A & B, 2013A, 2015A, and 2016A & B Water Revenue Refunding Bonds issues, and the Series 2016S-1 Subordinate Lien Water Revenue Refunding Bonds – 797412
  • Series 2012 and 2019 Water Furnishing Revenue Bonds (Pipeline and Plant) – 13054W

CUSIP numbers for each series of the Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper Program

  • Series 1 (ECP) – 79742X
  • Series 10 – 79741V
  • Series 9 – 79741U

San Diego County Water Authority Bond Rating

Rating AgencySenior Lien Ratings (2)Subordinate Lien RatingsOutlook
Standard & Poor’sAAAAA+Stable
FitchAA+AA+Stable
Moody’sAa2Aa3Stable

(1)  This table accurate as of January 2022.
(2)  Senior Lien includes the Water Authority’s Revenue Bonds and Certificates of Participation.

Credit Rating Reports

Commercial Paper Short-Term Ratings

Credit Rating Agency Contacts

 

Disclaimer

You have requested to enter the San Diego County Water Authority (“SDCWA” or the “Authority”) Financials/Investor Relations site (the “Site”).  The Site provides users a convenient source of general information about SDCWA, its debt and its financial and operating information (collectively, the “Information”).

The Information on this Site is not an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security or other financial instrument, including any SDCWA securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Any offer or solicitation with respect to any SDCWA securities will be made solely by means of an Official Statement or Offering Memorandum.  In no event will the Authority be liable for any use by any party of, for any decision made or action taken by any party in reliance upon, or for any inaccuracies or errors in, or omissions from, the Information contained on this Site.  Unless incorporated in an Official Statement or Offering Memorandum by specific reference therein, no statement found on this Site is incorporated by reference in any Official Statement or Offering Memorandum and no statement on this Site is part of any Official Statement or Offering Memorandum. The Information contained on this Site has been included for general informational purposes only, is limited in scope and does not contain all material information concerning any bonds or notes issued by the Authority. The Information on this Site is not intended for trading purposes and no person should make an investment decision solely in reliance on the Information contained herein.

The Information on this Site is provided without any representation or warranty of accuracy or completeness. Any financial document or other Information contained on this Site speaks only as its date, which may be prior to the date the document was posted on this Site. The Authority undertakes no obligation to update any Information included in this Site. The Information, estimates and expressions of opinion herein are subject to change without notice and the posting of Information on this Site does not imply that there has been no change in such Information or the affairs of the Authority since the date thereof or the date of posting such Information. No assumption should be made that any Information has been updated beyond its dated date unless the document expressly states that it constitutes an update of a specific portion of a document.

Certain statements included on this Site constitute “forward-looking statements.”  Such statements are generally identifiable by the terminology used, such as “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “budget,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or other similar words.  The achievement of certain results and other expectations contained in such forward-looking statements involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements described to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  No assurance can be given that any future results discussed on this Site will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from the expectations and forecasts described herein.  Important factors that could cause future results to differ include, but are not limited to, legislative and regulatory changes, changes in the economy, and other factors.

The Information on this Site is not intended to replace any information or consultation provided by a professional financial advisor. Any rating agency reports provided through this Site were prepared by the respective rating agencies, and the Authority disclaims any responsibility for the contents of the reports. Any addresses of or links to external web sites contained herein are provided for the convenience of the user only. The Authority has not participated in the preparation, compilation or selection of information on any other web site, and assumes no responsibility or liability for the contents thereof.  By choosing to continue and view the Information on this Site you are acknowledging that you have read and understood and accept the terms of this Disclaimer.