Water Transfers and Conservation Partnerships Deliver Benefits to San Diego Region Ratepayers

Water Transfers and Conservation Partnerships Deliver Benefits to San Diego Region Ratepayers

December 04, 2024

Water Authority, Imperial Irrigation District and Metropolitan Water District execute second agreement to save money and boost Colorado River

The San Diego County Water Authority today announced a second water exchange agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California designed to raise water levels in Lake Mead and save the region's water ratepayers approximately $20 million. The deal was announced during a meeting of the Colorado River Board of California at this year's Colorado River Water Users Association's conference in Las Vegas.

The innovative deals in 2023 and 2024 are part of the Water Authority's efforts to prioritize ratepayer affordability as savings from this year's agreement will be applied to 2026 wholesale water rates. The water exchanges are funded through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as part of its wide-ranging efforts to protect the overtaxed Colorado River.

The agencies' collective efforts play a critical role in addressing California's long-term water challenges while balancing urban, agricultural and environmental needs. Together, California agencies have collaborated to conserve more than 1.2 million acre-feet of Colorado River water over the past two years, including 100,000 acre-feet from consecutive agreements between the Water Authority, IID and MWD.

"For the second year in a row, the Water Authority and its partners have struck a deal to conserve water in Lake Mead and save our local ratepayers approximately $20 million. This is a win-win for all of us and demonstrates how the Water Authority is strategically using its assets to help protect ratepayers and the Colorado River through innovative thinking."

Nick Serrano, Chair, San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors

The Water Authority has a long-term agreement with IID, often referred to as the Quantification Settlement Agreement or QSA, to transfer conserved water from agricultural activities in the Imperial Valley to urban areas in San Diego County. MWD conveys QSA water supplies through the Colorado River Aqueduct to the San Diego region.

The 2024 agreement between IID, MWD and the Water Authority - key to implementing California's share of the Lower Basin Plan - enabled the additional 50,000 acre-feet to remain in Lake Mead to prevent the lake from reaching critically low levels. Federal funding, two consecutive wet years, and agricultural and urban conservation activities made the consecutive transfers possible.

The Water Authority looks to build on these water transfers and exchanges, which have demonstrated the ability to both defray costs of historic investments locally and allow for partnership opportunities with other Colorado River water users. The agency is also taking several other steps to address the rising cost of water, including budget cuts, project deferrals, debt refinancing, increasing grant funds and restructuring rates.

Because the San Diego region started investing heavily in water security nearly 30 years ago, the region has reliable supplies for the foreseeable future under a wide range of climate scenarios.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.