Latest news with #SanDiegoCountyWaterAuthority
E&E News
6 days ago
- Business
- E&E News
Southern California water agencies settle 15-year legal war
Southern California's two largest water agencies announced Monday that they have settled a 15-year legal dispute over the price of water transferred between them. What happened: Under the settlement agreement, the San Diego County Water Authority will pay the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California a fixed charge per ton of water delivered instead of one tied to Met's fluctuating rates. Why this matters: The agreement ends an acrimonious chapter in Southern California's water wars during which San Diego and Los Angeles power players fought in regional water agency boardrooms as well as the courtroom. Advertisement It also frees the San Diego County Water Authority — which is currently facing an existential threat because of lower-than-expected water sales — to cut deals with other water agencies to offload some of its unneeded water. San Diego has spent heavily in the past two decades on both importing and desalinating water.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nighttime work on San Diego's First Aqueduct could impact service in these cities
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego County Water Authority is notifying residents in three cities that their water service could be impacted and to expect nighttime work this week during work on San Diego's First Aqueduct. Work has been ongoing to extend the life of the historic First Aqueduct, and the San Diego County Water Authority announced the project has reached the halfway point. However, as crews transition to Phase Two of the project, construction will take place around the clock for 10 days from Feb. 23 to March 4. Opening of Baja wastewater treatment facility delayed again due to design flaws The 24-hour construction could impact water service for residents in Escondido, Poway and parts of unincorporated East County. Residents in those areas should also be prepared for noise, bright lights, and heavy construction equipment during nighttime work at any point during that time. The Water Authority said it is coordinating with local water agencies to minimize the potential for interruptions to water service during construction. Photos: Crews pull first pieces of crashed Navy plane from San Diego Bay; safety warning issued Work on Phase One of the project began in the spring of 2024 on Pipeline 2 structures. As Phase One ends, Pipeline 2 is being put back in service. The second phase will take Pipeline 1 out of service. The Water Authority did say most of the 24-hour worksites will be on undeveloped land with little to no impacts to residents or businesses. The work is part of the 3.5-year Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement Project and is expected to take place through summer 2026, with renovations to 99 structures along two pipelines that run from North to South County that were constructed in the late 1940s and 50s. The San Diego County Water Authority's historic First Aqueduct delivers treated and untreated water from just south of the Riverside County/San Diego County border to the San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside, transporting up to 120 million gallons of water per day to the San Diego region. 'As Phase One of the project moves toward completion, the Water Authority is grateful to the many neighbors and property owners impacted by the construction for their patience and support as this vital work continues. By making these improvements before they become urgent, we avoid more costly repairs and reduce the overall cost of system maintenance, while keeping our water supply safe and the taps flowing,' said Nick Serrano, Chair, San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors. More information on the Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement Project, including an interactive map where viewers can zoom in to view work areas, can be found at Residents with questions or concerns about their water service can contact their local water supplier. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials say storm rain is not enough to fully restore San Diego County's reservoirs
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — It's been a slow start to the rainy season. The first major storm of the season is bringing much needed rain as San Diego County deals with the driest start to any winter in more than 170 years. While the storm offers a boost to drought conditions, officials warn the rainfall is not enough to fully replenish local reservoirs. According to Efren Lopez, senior water resources specialist for San Diego County Water Authority, the region is at about 11% of where it should be. Lopez, along with his team at San Diego County Water Authority, are keeping a close eye on what comes down. He said, 'As a region we welcome the rain, but it's not something we depend on year to year.' 9 San Diego-area restaurants among Yelp's 'Top 100 Places to Eat in 2025' But for their 22 member agencies serving more than 3 million people, runoff is crucial for filling reservoirs. 'The water that falls as rain in our mountains and is captured by our reservoirs, that's really our most cost effective and efficient source of water,' explained Drew Kleis, assistant director of San Diego's Public Utilities Department. Kleiss says the last two years brought wet winters, allowing the city to capture an extensive amount of rain. He commented, 'We've been able to increase the percentage of local water use up towards 25 to 30% of our local supply, much more than that 10 to 15% average.' Of the 21 reservoirs in the county, nine are owned by the city. Roughly half of those, like San Vicente Reservoir, are more than 50% full while others, like Lake Hodges, are only 12% full. Carlos Quintero, general manager for Sweetwater Authority, said the water utility company, located in Chula Vista, 'has been historically a surface water agency.' This means its relies on Mother Nature to get water. According to Quintero, the agency serves about 192,000 people in western Chula Vista, National City and Bonita. He says they've been shifting to some groundwater use. While Loveland Reservoir is about 95% full, Sweetwater Reservoir is at 41%.'We do hope that we get more storms this late winter, early spring, to really help us bring those levels up a little bit,' said Quintero. The San Diego County Water Authority says as a region we can sustain ourselves for many dry years because of our imported water supplies. But that's why it's important that Northern California gets plenty of rain and snow, so the rest of the state can have enough supplies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
