Free WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Workshop Series Begins in September

The San Diego County Water Authority is again teaming up with the San Diego Botanic Garden and MiraCosta College to offer a WaterSmart Landscaping Makeover Workshop Series beginning in mid-September.  The classes, which will be held at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, are free and are designed to give participants hands-on experience with the essential concepts for successful turf removal and the design and installation of water-efficient landscaping.

Water Authority Releases Proposed Carlsbad Desalination Water Purchase Agreement

The San Diego County Water Authority today released a proposed Water Purchase Agreement with Poseidon Resources, the private developer of the planned seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad. The release opens a public review period that includes two special evening public meetings to share information on the agreement and to receive public comment.

Sept. 20 Public Meeting on Carlsbad Desalination Agreement Postponed

Final negotiations are continuing between the San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Resources on a 30-year agreement to purchase water from the proposed Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Project.  Because the draft agreement is not yet complete, the Water Authority has postponed the Sept. 20 evening public meeting in Carlsbad to allow sufficient time between the release of the draft agreement and the first public meeting.

A new date for the Carlsbad public meeting will be announced when the draft water purchase agreement is released.

Water Agencies to Host Garden-Friendly Plant Fairs this Fall

The San Diego County Water Authority, its member agencies and The Home Depot have teamed up for a series of San Diego County garden-friendly plant fairs this fall, which is the most successful planting season for drought tolerant plants.  Residents interested in making their yards and gardens more attractive and water efficient will have an opportunity to save up to 50 percent on select varieties of low-water-use plants and receive information from gardening experts at select The Home Depot locations around the county.

September 13 Public Meeting on Carlsbad Desalination Agreement Moved to October 2

Final negotiations are continuing between the San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Resources on a 30-year agreement to purchase water from the proposed Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Project.  Because the draft agreement is not yet complete, the Water Authority is moving back the schedule for hosting two evening public meetings dedicated to receiving public comment on the document.

Judge Orders MWD to Begin Producing Documents in First Round of Discovery in Water Authority Rate Challenge

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard A. Kramer today ordered the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California immediately to begin producing documents relating to MWD’s 2011 and 2012 water rates. The San Diego County Water Authority has sought documents it believes will show that MWD’s 2011 and 2012 rates do not meet the requirements of California law, and do not reflect the actual, reasonable or proportional cost of providing services to the Water Authority.

Negotiations on Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Agreement Continue

While negotiations continue between the San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Resources on a 30-year water purchase agreement for water from the proposed Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Project, the Water Authority Board of Directors today received reports on several major issues related to the project, including terms under which the Water Authority’s member agencies could buy a portion of the project’s supplies.

Countywide Poll Shows Increased Support for Continued Investments in Water Supply Reliability

San Diego County residents’ support for funding seawater desalination or other investments to enhance the reliability of the region’s water supplies has increased compared to last year, a new public opinion poll commissioned by the San Diego County Water Authority has found.

The poll, which surveyed 816 adult San Diego County residents in July, found:

Water Authority Develops Road Map to a Secure Water Future

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday received updates about two potential capital projects to meet the region’s long-term need for water through 2035 – a seawater desalination plant at Camp Pendleton and a large-scale conveyance system to deliver water from the Colorado River. Both options – and several others – will be considered as the Water Authority crafts its long-range planning document, the 2013 Regional Water Facilities Optimization and Master Plan.