November 30, 2015

In This Issue

Support Credit for Drought-Resilient Supplies in State Regulations

U-T Editorial Supports Local Supply Credits

Did you see?

The Los Angeles Times highlighted the Water Authority's proposal for changes to state drought regulations in a story
on Nov. 26.

Under the current state regulation, the use of water from new supplies counts the same as any other drinkable water produced by an agency. Sandra Kerl, deputy general manager of the water authority, said that's not fair to ratepayers. "The only answer being that you use less is untenable," she said. "It needs to be a combination of conservation and sustainable supply development."

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to download the "When in Drought, Report Waste" app.

Stay in Touch with the Water Authority.

Mobile App

Quick Links

San Diego County Water Authority

WaterSmart San Diego County

When in Drought

The Water Conservation Garden

Save our Water

Support Credit for
Drought-Resilient Supplies
in State Regulations

Deadline to submit written comments is noon, Dec. 2

The last full day for submitting written comments about the state's emergency water-use regulations is Tuesday, Dec. 1, and the final deadline is noon on Dec. 2. To date, the state has taken a "conservation only" approach that doesn't account for the major investments San Diego County has made in supply reliability over the past two decades. The current regulation is under review in Sacramento, and now is the time to support a more equitable and sustainable path.

While the region has a distinguished history of water conservation, the current emergency regulation does not allow regional or local water agencies or their ratepayers to realize the benefits of their investments in water supply reliability -- investments in self-reliance that are consistent with Gov. Brown's Water Action Plan.

If you haven't done so already, please take a moment to support a proposal by the San Diego County Water Authority to allow water agencies to meet state targets through a combination of conservation and sustainable drinking water supplies, such as desalination, potable reuse and long-term transfers of conserved water. This upgrade will help California create a regulatory approach that includes water conservation and the development of drought-resilient supplies.

Learn more about the issue at www.sdcwa.org/state-board-regulations, and use the "Comment" link to submit an email to the State Water Resources Control Board. A form letter that you can personalize is provided for your convenience.

U-T Editorial Supports
Local Supply Credits

In an editorial posted online Nov. 29, The San Diego Union-Tribune called on state officials to revise emergency drought-response regulations and credit water agencies for developing sustainable water supplies.

Here's how the piece started:

"There'll be lots of adjustments. In fact, I would say politics is the art of adjustments."

-- Gov. Jerry Brown, Aug. 11, in San Diego

Gov. Brown made the above comment in the context of concerns expressed by San Diego political, business and water industry leaders that the governor's water-use restrictions did not give San Diego County justifiable credit for efforts made and billions spent to develop its own sources of drought-resistant drinking water from sustainable sources, significantly reducing reliance on water from Northern California.

Now, Mr. Gov., is the time for adjustments. And the San Diego County Water Authority has a serious and credible proposal for the kind of adjustments that will protect the goals of the conservation mandate while giving this region deserved credit for taking water-development steps that every other region in California ought to copy.

Click here to read the full editorial.

The San Diego County Water Authority works through its 24 member agencies to provide a safe and reliable water supply to support the region's $218 billion economy and quality of life of 3.2 million residents.