To lessen the impact of water supply reductions on the San Diego region, the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors today authorized the general manager to acquire up to 20,000 acre-feet of water under an existing one-year transfer agreement with the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA), in Northern California.
Category Archives: Drought
Water Authority Boosts Conservation Rebate Funding in Response to High Demand
The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today approved $2.5 million to expand two highly popular conservation incentive programs. The additional funding will make the programs’ rebates and other water-saving services available to significantly more residential and commercial water users as the region continues to cope with drought and court-ordered water supply cutbacks.
San Diego County Water Supplies Sufficient to Meet Demands in 2017 and Beyond
As the 2016 water year comes to a close today, San Diego County Water Authority officials said that the region’s projected water supplies will be sufficient to meet demand in 2017 and beyond, but continued water-use efficiency remains essential to help the region manage those supplies amid an uncertain outlook for rain and snow this winter. Even if conditions remain dry, San Diego County’s water supplies will meet demands due to drought-resilient water resources such as the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which produces approximately 50 million gallons of potable water per day, and conservation-and-transfer contracts and agreements for […]
Time to turn back the clocks and turn down the sprinkler systems
The days are getting shorter and the weather cooler. Shorter days mean shorter watering times. In the autumn, lawns and gardens throughout the San Diego region need less water. As San Diegans prepare to set their clocks back Oct. 30, the San Diego County Water Authority and local water districts recommend that as customers change their clocks to “fall back” one hour, they also “fall back” on watering times.
San Diego County Water Authority board to appeal preferential rights decision
Vowing to continue its fight to eliminate a system it deems unfair and illegal, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today voted to appeal a recent appellate court ruling preserving the Metropolitan Water District's preferential rights process. The board authorized staff to petition a review by the State Supreme Court.
Water Authority Supports Governor’s State of Emergency Proclamation
The chair of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today applauded Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision to proclaim a state of emergency due to drought conditions and regulatory restrictions impacting the state’s water supply.
Water Authority to continue study of water treatment capacity enhancement
In a move to continue addressing the need for additional water treatment capacity for the San Diego region, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today authorized the continued planning of a new water treatment plant. As part of the overall planning process, the board approved a contract with Helix Environmental Planning, Inc. for up to $360,000 for environmental support services to ensure compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Plan developed to avoid devastating impact of drought on county’s economy
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today reviewed a draft of a drought management plan designed to protect the region’s $150 billion economy and the quality of life of 3 million residents. Developed as part of the Water Authority’s long-range planning efforts to secure and maintain a diverse and reliable water supply for the region, the purpose of the plan is to prepare the region for potential water shortage conditions due to drought.
Metropolitan Water District ‘Water Supplies Report’ found inadequate
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors, responding to a presentation on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's "Report on Metropolitan's Water Supplies," voiced concerns over the report's accuracy and the validity of its projected supplies. MWD's report provides information regarding its projected water demands and the supplies that are available to meet those demands in the future.
New Agricultural Water Program Benefits San Diego County Growers
The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors last week approved a new and permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate structure that offers lower water rates to farmers in exchange for lower water supply reliability. Unlike the current temporary program, the new program will let new participants join as a way to strengthen the region’s multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry. New ag water program rates will be determined in the spring of 2020 as part of the Water Authority’s annual rate-setting process. The program will take effect January 1, 2021, replacing the current program that sunsets at the end of 2020. Additional […]