SCOOP firms receive:

• Notification of upcoming contract opportunities
• Contact from prime contractors conducting outreach as part of their good faith effort to subcontract or joint venture on Water Authority projects
• Information on county-wide small business outreach events, including Paths to Partnerships
• Access to cost-effective, project-specific insurance
• Training opportunities:
  • Classroom training
  • Online training
  • Mentor-Protégé Program

SCOOP firms are:

1) Firms that meet the size standards or have been certified as small businesses by the Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of General Services (DGS), Caltrans, or any other public agency using the size standards specified in 13 CFR 121;

2) Small businesses that have submitted an application to the Network

The Network is the Water Authority’s collaborative, online vendor registration, solicitation, and notification system. Registration is for both small and large businesses. The system is FREE of charge. To register, visit: http://www.govbids.com/scripts/TheNetwork/public/info/regoptions.asp.To learn how to register with the Network, please access the free training here.

• To be recognized as a SCOOP firm, complete the small business certification portion of The Network registration form. Upon approval, a certification letter will be emailed to you.
• The Network small business certification is recognized by the Water Authority’s SCOOP and all other public agencies currently participating on The Network.

• When subcontracting opportunities are available, the Water Authority requires that prime bidders/proposers conduct outreach to small businesses via the Network
• Firms registered with the Network can generate lists of industry-specific SCOOP firms using the “Search the Small Business Database” feature. For technical assistance, please contact the Network support line at 1-800-677-1997, ext. 214.

In addition to the Network, the Water Authority's collaborative online vendor registration system, there are several resources available to find small businesses. Your firm can outreach to small businesses using the community-based organizations, and other small business registry resources listed below:

• Community Based Organizations
• Other Registry Resources

No. However, if specified in the solicitation document that a good faith effort is required, each prime bidder/proposer must conduct outreach.

Yes.  Regardless of whether your business is considered small or not, the Water Authority requires that all businesses seeking to bid on construction and services projects conduct good faith outreach efforts.

PAC is a committed partnership of San Diego regional public agencies focused on increasing bidding opportunities and the likelihood of success of small businesses on public agency contracts. This partnership includes:

• City of San Diego
• San Diego City Schools
• Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC)
• San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
• County of San Diego
• San Diego County Water Authority
• San Diego County Regional Airport Authority
• Unified Port District of San Diego

How will PAC do this?
PAC will work together to make it easier for small firms to do business with local public agencies through these objectives:

• Provide access for small firms to a larger pool of available business opportunities. PAC will be "one-stop shopping" for procurement opportunities
• Consolidate agencies' training and networking activities, such as the Creating Paths to Partnerships Networking Forum

Yes, the Water Authority’s Board of Directors has established an overall SCOOP goal of 20 percent small business dollars as a percentage of the Water Authority’s total dollars awarded. However, there are no specific goals on individual solicitation. Instead, businesses seeking to bid on construction and service projects conduct good faith outreach to reach small businesses interested in subcontracting opportunities.

General Information Number: (858) 522-6515
Fax Number: (858) 522-6564
scoop@sdcwa.org

Emily Yanushka, SCOOP Manager
(858) 522-6621
eyanushka@sdcwa.org

Lorise W. Maynard, SCOOP Representative
(858) 522-6622
lmaynard@sdcwa.org

Craig Balben, SCOOP Training Administrator
(858) 522-6908
cbalben@sdcwa.org

The Water Authority is a wholesale water agency that purchases water for 24-member agencies that provide water directly to approximately 97% of the residents of San Diego County.  Revenue received from member agencies for the purchase of water represents approximately 67% of the Water Authority’s two-year budget.

The major drivers in creating the budget are the Water Authority’s Board Strategic Plan, the goals of the Water Authority’s Five-Year Business Plan, water supply conditions, current economic conditions, and Water Authority policies (for example, operating fund reserve, debt service coverage, and rate stabilization fund policies).

The General Manager bi-annually prepares and submits to the Board of Directors a two-year budget.  The Board of Directors’ discuss and vote on the recommended budget no later than June 30.

CEQA is an acronym for the California Environmental Quality Act, a state law that requires California agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions and describe measures which can be taken to avoid or mitigate those impacts, if feasible. An agency's action can be to approve its own project or to permit another proponent's project.

EIR is an acronym for Environmental Impact Report, a document required by CEQA when an agency determines that a proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment. An EIR evaluates the proposed project’s potential impacts on the environment, and recommends mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate those impacts. Decision-makers use information in an EIR to help determine whether or not to approve a project.

An EIR describes the need for a project, the location of a project and how it will be constructed. It evaluates the how the existing environment could be changed if the project were approved and provides feasible mitigation measures to avoid or reduce those expected changes. An EIR inventories the existing environment in different categories called the environmental setting, including:

·       aesthetics

·       agriculture and forestry resources

·       air quality

·       biological resources

·       cultural and paleontological resources

·       geology and soils

·       greenhouse gases

·       hazards and hazardous materials

·       hydrology and water quality

·       land use and planning

·       mineral resources

·       noise and vibration

·       population and housing

·       public services

·       recreation

·       transportation and traffic

·       utilities and service systems

The public can participate at several points during EIR preparation. The process starts when an agency publishes a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an EIR in a local newspaper of general circulation. This starts a 30-day period where the public can provide written suggestions on what information the EIR should contain. During this period, the agency may also hold scoping meetings to receive oral and written comments from the public. Notice of any scoping meetings will generally be listed in the NOP. Once the draft EIR is complete, it is released for review, typically for 45-days, and a Notice of Completion (NOC) is published in a local newspaper. The draft EIR is placed in local libraries and/or posted on a website to make it available for review, and written comments may be submitted by the public during this period. Sometimes the agency will hold a public hearing to receive oral and written public comments. Notice of any hearings will generally be listed in the NOC. Both the NOP and NOC review periods provide the public with an opportunity to shape the contents of the EIR.

The CEQA process requires a lead agency to respond to each written comment received during the draft EIR review period. Each individual comment is evaluated for relevance to the draft EIR and a response is prepared. In some instances, a comment may result in revision to the draft EIR. The collection of comments and responses together with the draft EIR constitute what is called the Final EIR (FEIR). The FEIR must then be certified by the lead agency as adequate and in compliance with CEQA before a project can be approved.

A subsequent EIR (sometimes called an SEIR) is a follow-up document to a previously certified FEIR. When a project has been included in an earlier FEIR, but the project or environmental conditions change substantially before the project is constructed, CEQA requires the changes to be re-analyzed to determine if any new significant environmental impacts may occur. A good example of this process is the San Diego County Water Authority's Emergency Storage Project (ESP) that was reviewed in a FEIR certified in 1997. Since then, the San Vicente Pipeline portion of the ESP has undergone changes in design, location and type of construction. In 2002, the SDCWA prepared a SEIR to analyze these project changes. The SEIR must also be certified by the lead agency as adequate and in compliance with CEQA before the project changes can be approved.

EIR- Environmental Impact Report
CEQA - California Environmental Quality Act
DEIR - Draft Environmental Impact Report
FEIR - Final Environmental Impact Report
SEIR - Subsequent or Supplemental Environmental Impact Report
NOP - Notice of Preparation [of an EIR] to be prepared.
NOC - Notice of Completion [of a DEIR] and availability for public review.

Certification- A decision by the lead agency that the FEIR has been completed in compliance with CEQA and that the information contained therein reflects the lead agency's independent judgment and analyses. The lead agency must consider the information in the FEIR prior to approving the project.

Environmental Impact- The direct and indirect physical changes that are caused by the project. Impacts can be classified in four general categories: 1) beneficial impact; 2) less than significant impact; 3) less than significant impact with incorporation of mitigation measures; or 4) significant and unavoidable impact.

Environmental Setting- The existing physical conditions that may be affected by a proposed project, including both natural and man-made conditions.

Findings– Written determinations made by a public agency for each significant impact identified in the certified FEIR, accompanied by a brief explanation of the rational for each determination. The lead agency must make findings prior to approving the project.

Lead Agency- The public agency responsible for preparing an EIR that complies with the provisions of CEQA.

Mitigation Measure- Feasible actions which could minimize or eliminate significant adverse impacts; mitigation is not necessary for impacts that are not significant.

Mitigation Monitoring or Mitigation Reporting Plan- A written document, adopted when the lead agency approves a project, to ensure that mitigation measures or other project revisions identified in the certified FEIR to reduce or avoid impacts are implemented. Inspectors/monitors may be placed on-site during construction to record proper implementation of mitigation measures. The Plan remains active until all mitigation measures have been satisfactorily completed.

Project Alternatives- A reasonable range of options to the proposed project whereby most of the basic project objectives can be feasibly attained and significant environmental impacts can be avoided or substantially lessened. At least two are required in every EIR: 1) no project alternative; and 2) environmentally superior alternative. The range of alternatives is developed by considering the economic, social, environmental, legal and technical merits of various project options.

Project Description- A project description is an essential element of an EIR. It should minimally include the location of a project (with maps), a description of the facility to be built, construction techniques, the location of any additional work and staging areas, as well as any access roads. It should also include a description of the long-term operation and maintenance of the facility.

Statement of Overriding Considerations- A written statement by the lead agency to support a decision to take an action even though it results in significant and unavoidable impacts to the environment. The statement contains the specific reasons why the benefits of the action outweigh the environmental detriments.

Link to the CEQA website
http://ceres.ca.gov/ceqa/

The Water Authority is capable of delivering more than 900 million gallons per day.  That’s enough water to fill up about 3,000 bathtubs per minute, every minute of the day.

Water is treated and flows through the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant.

Historically, approximately 50 percent of purchased water is untreated, and will be treated at one of the treatment plants within San Diego County.  The other 50 percent is treated, and is ready for consumption.

The average cost to treat water in San Diego County is approximately $215 per acre foot.

The pipes that make up the Water Authority’s distribution system range in size from 48 to 108 inches in diameter, and traverse approximately 300 miles.

The Water Authority is a gravity flow system, so the actual energy costs to distribute the water are only 2 percent of total energy use. To treat water, the Water Authority spends approximately $7.34/kWh/million gallons.  The majority of energy use goes toward treating, conveying, and storing the water.

Customers should contact the water agency that sends you your water bill. To find out which member agency serves your area, use the handy “locate your water district” search tool on the right of this page.

The Water Authority is an independent public agency that serves as San Diego County's regional water wholesaler. It is not part of either the city or county of San Diego governments. The mission of the San Diego County Water Authority is to provide a safe and reliable supply of water to its 24 member agencies serving the San Diego region's $186 billion economy and its 3.1 million residents.

The Water Authority was formed in 1944 for the purpose of importing water to the region. At the time of its formation, the Water Authority supplemented local supplies with imported water. The Water Authority is a public agency under the state County Water Authority Act Chapter 45, section 2.

Today, up to 80 percent of the region's water is imported from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) is the Water Authority’s largest supplier, providing more than half of the water used in the region in fiscal year 2010. Since 2003, the Water Authority has received a growing percentage of its water supply from its long-term water conservation and transfer agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District and conserved water from projects that lined portions of the All-American and Coachella canals in Imperial Valley.  The remaining water comes from local supply sources including groundwater, local surface water, recycled water, and conservation.

The Water Authority is a water wholesaler that purchases and imports water from various sources and sells the water to its 24 retail member agencies in San Diego County. These member agencies are your water provider, supplying you with the treated (drinking) water in your residential or commercial area, sending you your monthly water bill, monitoring water leaks, and providing you with customer service relating to water issues.

The Water Authority's board of directors consists of at least one representative from each of its 24 member agencies. The representative is appointed by the member agency, with the consent and approval of that member agency. A member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors also serves as a representative to the Water Authority Board.

Large amounts of water are measured by the acre-foot. One acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover one acre to a depth of one foot. An acre-foot can supply the average household needs of two four-person families for one year.

The Water Authority initiated the Capital Improvement Program in 1989 to plan and implement projects to meet the region's future water needs. For many years, the Water Authority received as much as 90 percent of its water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on a yearly basis. The CIP reduces this overreliance on a single supplier and improves water reliability by diversifying the region’s water supply portfolio. It also enhances the aqueduct system that delivers water to member agencies, which serve more than 3 million residents. Through the CIP the Water Authority:

• Constructs new facilities to increase operational flexibility and capacity to deliver water, increase local storage and provide water during emergencies.
• Rehabilitates existing facilities by replacing or relining aging pipelines to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of water to the region.

The Water Authority solicits competitive proposals and bids for a variety of construction and material procurement projects. To be included on the Water Authority's bid list or to view additional documents including design manuals or the General Conditions and Standard Specifications, visit the Water Authority's Contracting Opportunities web page.

The Emergency Storage Project is a major part of the Water Authority’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The ESP is a system of reservoirs, interconnected pipelines, and pumping stations designed to make water available to the San Diego region in the event of an interruption in imported water deliveries.

The Emergency Storage Project will add 90,100 acre-feet of water storage for emergency use and will:

• Provide up to six months of emergency water storage in the San Diego region
• Establish emergency water storage at Lake Hodges, and the Olivenhain and San Vicente reservoirs for use throughout the county
• Expand the pipeline system to allow region-wide emergency water distribution

To maximize the reliability of the region’s water supply, for the past two decades the San Diego County Water Authority, in coordination with its 24 member retail water agencies, has been diversifying its portfolio of water supply sources promoting greater water use efficiency.

The Water Authority continually works with local agencies to develop local supplies such as groundwater, recycled water, seawater desalination, and conservation. By 2020, local water supplies are projected to meet 40 percent of the region’s water demands.

Water conservation is a critical part of the Water Authority’s long-term strategy for meeting water supply needs of the San Diego region. The goals of the Water Authority’s water conservation program are to: (1) reduce demand for more expensive, imported water; (2) demonstrate continued commitment to the Best Management Practices and Agricultural Efficient Water Management Practices; and (3) ensure a reliable future water supply. In addition, in 2009 the state Legislature passed SBX7-7, which calls for per capita water consumption to be cut 20 percent by 2020.

Click below to learn more about conservation programs and/or incentives available to you at your residence, business, or public agency.

Residential

Businesses

Public Agencies

Customers should contact the water agency that sends their water bill. To find out which member agency serves your area, use the “Locate Your Water District” tool on the right side of this page.

The Water Authority receives both treated and untreated water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. This water originates from the Colorado River and from Bay-Delta area of Northern California.

Untreated water must be treated prior to use by the public. One of the treatment plants, the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant, located within the county is owned by the Water Authority.  This plant utilizes the latest technology to produce up to 100 million gallons of potable water each day.

In addition to the Water Authority, other agencies that own and operate treatment plants within the county include:

• Escondido (City of) - joint ownership with Vista Irrigation District
• Helix Water District
• Oceanside (City of)
• Olivenhain Municipal Water District
• Poway (City of)
• San Diego (City of)
• Santa Fe Irrigation District- joint ownership with San Dieguito Water District
• Sweetwater Authority (operating for South Bay Irrigation District and National City)

Treated water is purchased by the Water Authority from the Metropolitan Water District, the Helix Water District, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District and the cities of Oceanside, San Diego, and Poway. Treated water sources can be delivered directly into member agency’s distribution systems for customer use. Whether the water is treated by MWD, the Water Authority, or a local agency, all treated water served in San Diego County meets or exceeds rigorous state and federal water quality regulations.

Yes, as a water wholesaler the Water Authority is responsible for maintaining high-quality potable (drinking) water for its 24 member agencies. The Water Authority performs routine bacteriological testing on the treated water to ensure that there has been no degradation of quality as it's transported from MWD to the member agencies. The water quality in the Water Authority’s Olivenhain Reservoir is routinely tested to ensure it meets all regulatory requirements. Water produced by the Water Authority at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant is subject to daily, monthly, and annual water quality tests to ensure it also meets or exceeds all regulatory requirements.

The Water Authority performs bacteriological testing on the treated water throughout the aqueduct system. The Water Authority’s member agencies, as the direct supplier to the consumer, perform other required water quality monitoring and must provide reports to the California Department of Public Health and directly to the consumer. Some of the constituents tested include: organics, inorganics, trace metals, disinfection by-products and aesthetics.

The Water Authority is regulated by the California Department of Public Health as a permitted public water supply agency. The Water Authority must comply with all applicable state and federal drinking water regulations. State Certified Water Distribution and Water Treatment Operators make all decisions directly affecting water quality and quantity at the Water Authority, as required by state and federal regulations. The certification regulations require various certification levels (1 - 5) based on the complexity of the water distribution system, the size of the population, and the size of the water treatment plant. A smaller-population, non-complex distribution system, is a level one system. The largest-population, complex distribution system, is rated at a level five. The Water Authority is a level five distribution system, which requires shift operators to carry at least Grade 3 Water Distribution Operator Certification and Chief Operators to carry Grade 5 Water Distribution Operator Certification. In addition, the size of the Water Authority’s treatment plant requires shift operators to carry at least a Grade 3 Water Treatment Operator Certification and the Plant Manager to carry a Grade 5 Water Treatment Operator Certification. The certified operators are responsible for ensuring that the Water Authority complies with all applicable water quality regulations. This is done by monitoring all current and proposed water quality regulations, maintaining a strong professional relationship with the regulators and taking part in the development of regulations.

Quality-wise, the answer is no. Bottled water originates from wells, springs, even the faucet and is often treated to improve taste, not necessarily for quality or disinfection. Considering bottled water costs up to 500 times more per gallon, tap water is a bargain. You can improve taste of tap water by chilling it.

The speakers' bureau is an important component of the Water Authority's efforts to inform and create public awareness about its plans and programs to provide a safe and reliable water supply for San Diego County's $174 billion economy and its 3.2 million residents. The speakers' bureau is a free service to the community. If your community group or organization would like to invite a speaker to a meeting, please make arrangements at least three weeks in advance by submitting a speakers’ bureau request.

All applications must be submitted online at http://agency.governmentjobs.com/sdcwa/default.cfm. Select the Applicant Login link for access and instructions.

If supplemental information or other materials are required as part of an application, it will be indicated on the job posting. The supplemental materials are necessary for further evaluation of your qualifications for the position for which you are applying. You must submit all supplemental information at the same time you submit your application.

Yes. Every application is evaluated separately based on the position for which you are applying. However, once you create an account, you may build an application and submit that application for multiple jobs by clicking on the ‘Populate’ button to automatically populate the new application with information from those that you previously created. Once your account is created, applying for open recruitments is quick and easy.

When your application is received, a confirmation email will be sent.

You must contact the Water Authority's Human Resources Department at 858.522.6664 to request updates to already submitted applications.

You can review the status at any time by clicking on Applicant Login, using the user name and password that you created when you submitted your application.

All information is maintained on a secure web server. Only the Human Resources Department and other Water Authority staff authorized to review specific information related to job openings will have access.

You will be asked to provide information consistent with any standard application process such as name, address, phone number, education, employment history, etc.

A computer will be available in our Human Resources Department, during the hours of 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (every other Friday the Water Authority offices are closed). We are located at 4677 Overland Avenue San Diego, CA. 92123.

To apply online you must have an email account. There are a number of free email services available to the general public. For example, www.aol.com, www.yahoo.com, or www.google.com.User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person or email address. Multiple applications with multiple users and email addresses may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions you apply for.

You may either attach or cut and paste a resume into your application. Please note that submitting a resume does not substitute for completing the entire application.

You may submit a Job Interest Card online. To submit a Job Interest Card online, follow the Job Interest Card instructions.

No, it is necessary to submit a new application for every job posting.

As with any position, once a closing date has passed, no application will be accepted or considered. You may want to complete a job interest card to automatically be notified when a position you are interested in becomes available.

No. The "Promotional Opportunities" shown on the website are open only to Water Authority employees. All other persons may apply only for open positions on the Employment Opportunities page.

Yes. You should maintain copies of all emails you receive for your records and future reference.

If you do not receive an email notification, check your spam or junk mail to ensure your notification was not filtered out. Also, check the email address on your account to make sure it's accurate and current. If you are still experiencing difficulty please call the Water Authority Human Resources Department at (858) 522-6664.

All applicants are assessed relative to the qualifications listed on the job posting. Applicant information will be reviewed by the Human Resources Department and the hiring manager. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications of the posting to be eligible for further consideration. However, meeting the minimum qualifications does not automatically guarantee an interview.

If you are called for an interview by a department, there are some things you should do. Remain calm, be prompt and dress appropriately. You may also want to review the job announcement to prepare yourself for the interview. Remember, the interview is the time to show the hiring department that you are the best person for the job!

Yes. The Water Authority does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment, access to, or operation of its programs, services or activities. If you are disabled and need an accommodation to participate in the testing and interview process, please notify us immediately

If you are experiencing difficulties completing the online application please contact NEOGOV customer support at 1.888.NEOGOV1.

You can learn more about or purchase the Water Authority’s bonds by contacting your personal investment consultant or advisor.

A municipal bond is a debt obligation of a state, county, city, special district, or agency. Typically, interest on municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes and, if the bonds are issued in your state of residence, from state and, in some cases, local income taxes as well. Most municipal bonds are classified as either general obligation (G.O. bonds), which are secured by the property taxing authority of the issuing municipality, or revenue bonds, which only have recourse to the project revenues for which the bond proceeds are used.

The San Diego County Water Authority (Water Authority) is a special agency, created under California law in 1943 and organized in 1944. The Water Authority exists for the primary purpose of supplying water within San Diego County for wholesale distribution to the Water Authority’s member agencies in order to meet the member agencies’ respective residential, commercial and agricultural customer needs.

The Water Authority issues revenue bonds. It has historically issued its revenue bonds as “Water Revenue Certificates of Participation”. However, starting in 2010, it is issuing its revenue bonds as “Water Revenue Bonds”. Its bonds are typically fixed rate, long-term bonds and are secured by a pledge of the net revenues of the Water Authority.

The Water Authority primarily uses proceeds of its bond issues to pay a portion of the design, acquisition, and construction of its capital construction projects, pursuant to its Capital Improvement Program. Its construction projects provide for the development, storage and transportation of water on behalf of its member agencies.

Principal payments are made annually, per each bond issue’s retirement schedule, on May 1. Interest payments are made semi-annually on each May 1 and November 1.

The Water Authority currently has seven bond issues outstanding, including its most recent bond issue, the Series 2010A (Tax-Exempt) and 2010B (Taxable Build America Bonds) Water Revenue Bonds, which were issued in January 2010. You can obtain more information about these bond issues by visiting the “Investor Relations” section of the Water Authority’s website.

No, the Water Authority has never missed any of its bond payments or defaulted on any of its bond issues.

The Water Authority typically issues bonds when it is close to spending the proceeds from its last bond issue and needs to raise funds to pay for approximately 2 – 3 years of upcoming construction projects, pursuant to its Capital Improvement Program. From time to time, the Water Authority may also issue bonds to refinance outstanding debt obligations, as market conditions dictate.

For contact information on member agencies click here.

For a map of the 24 agencies click here.

The Water Authority’s service area encompasses approximately 947,000 acres and serves 3.17 million residents.

Up-to-date information can be found on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Economic Accounts at www.bea.gov/regional/reis/.

Labor force trends can be found in the Water Authority’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report  under the Statistical section.

U.S. Department of Defense is the County’s largest, employing over 136,000; just under 8.7% of total employment.

An easement is a right to use property for a specific purpose. In the case of Water Authority easements, the Water Authority has purchased the right to occupy the easement area for the purpose of patrolling, constructing, maintaining and repairing its pipelines and other facilities in the easement area. The easement also allows the Water Authority to limit activities within the easement that conflict with its use.

The Water Authority staff responsible for managing the easement considers the property rights reserved to the owner and the rights granted to the Water Authority. These rights are all specified in the recorded grant of easement. In order to complement the easement document, the Water Authority adopted Chapter 7.00 of its Administrative Code to establish consistent regulations, policies, and procedures for the protection and preservation of the easement.

The Water Authority has the right to require a permit by virtue of the County Water Authority Act. A permit ensures that the proposed use does not interfere with the operation and maintenance of the pipelines and the inspection of the easement. A permit documents approved uses of the owner for improvements allowed by the Water Authority within the easement. A permit is mutually beneficial because it provides a detailed description of what has been allowed and the conditions under which the improvements may remain or may need to be removed. The permit process is further described in Chapter 7 of the Water Authority’s Administrative Code.

Trash dumped on the easement is a trespass issue that resides with the property owner. When owners have trespass issues like trash dumping or unauthorized entrance, the Water Authority attempts to work with the owner for reasonable solutions that will meet both the owner’s and Water Authority needs; however, removal of the trash is the property owner’s responsibility. Please call the Right of Way Property Manager Supervisor at (858) 522-6915.

Please call the Right of Way Property Manager Supervisor at (858) 522-6915.

Vegetation management and weed abatement is the responsibility of the property owner. Please call the Right of Way Property Manager Supervisor at (858) 522-6915.

The Water Authority acquires both fee and easement interests in property for its projects. If all or a portion of your property is required for a Water Authority project, the Water Authority will hire an appraiser to determine the value of that area. A representative from the Water Authority will then contact you and present an offer to purchase the necessary property.

Offers by the Water Authority are based on fair market appraisals completed by independent appraisers. Property owners are welcome to provide data and input to both the appraiser and to the Water Authority representative during negotiations. Property owners may obtain their own appraisals to help determine value.

The Water Authority will make every effort to acquire the property by negotiated settlement with the owner. However, if the Water Authority and the property owner cannot agree on a sale, the Water Authority may consider the use of eminent domain or initiate condemnation proceedings in order gain possession of the property. Compensation will then be determined by the court.

Yes. If you would like to have an attorney or anyone else represent you during negotiations, please inform the Water Authority in writing of your desire. However, the Water Authority is not required to pay the cost of any such representation.

In most areas, Records of Survey delineating existing Water Authority right-of-ways have been completed and filed with the San Diego County Recorders’ office.

The property owner can contact the Right of Way Department and request that the right–of-way be staked.

The Water Authority may stake its right-of-way as a courtesy and at no expense to the property owner.

The Water Authority can only stake the right-of-way as they pass through a property. A property owner should contract with a California Licensed Land Surveyor to determine private property lines or boundaries.

For further questions, write to the Right of Way Department, San Diego County Water Authority, 4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego CA  92123 or call (858) 522-6900.

The Water Authority is a wholesaling entity with no retail customers. Water rates and charges are billed directly to member agencies that then bill individual customers. For retail and individual customer billing questions, contact your member agency for directly (follow this link to be directed to the member agency page.)

The cost of water is the Water Authority’s largest expense and has the biggest impact on rates.

Significant increases in the cost of purchasing and conveyance are the largest factors contributing to rate increases.

Cost of Purchasing:  MWD, the Water Authority’s largest supplier has lost access to low-cost Colorado River water due to drought conditions and falling reservoir levels. As a result, MWD has become more reliant on meeting demand by using more expensive supplies from the State Water Project.

Conveyance:Drought and regulatory restrictions on operations to protect threatened fish have drastically reduced water deliveries from the State Water Project.  To help make up for the reductions, both MWD and the Water Authority are purchasing more expensive water from Northern and Central California.

Yes. Rate hikes by MWD, decreases in water sales, increases in State Water Project costs, infrastructure improvements, and repair costs are all factors. In addition, the economic downturn has negatively affected the revenues the Water Authority’s receives from property taxes and interest income.

We are providing strong oversight at MWD; aggressively controlling costs within the organization; and continuing our program of long-term supply diversification to reduce our reliance on MWD.

The Water Availability Charge is an assessment on all property in the Water Authority’s service area. The State Legislature authorized this assessment when it approved Assembly Bill 2928 in 1988. The Water Authority began collecting the charge in 1989.

The charge is ten dollars per parcel or per acre, whichever is greater. For example, a parcel measuring one acre or smaller is assessed $10. A parcel that is 6.3 acres is assessed $63.

All property within the Water Authority’s area is assessed unless it has been deferred. The Standby charge is not linked to water consumption.

Property owners can apply for a deferral. The deferral is for property owners who do not receive water from any of the Water Authority’s member agencies and have no plans to begin receiving water in the future. However, this is a deferral of the fee, not a waiver. If the deferral agreement is ended, the property owner will pay all the past deferred charges, plus the interest compounded annually.

To get an application for a deferral or for further questions, write to the Right of Way Department, San Diego County Water Authority, 4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego 92123 or call (858) 522-6900.

Legislation was signed in late 2009 that establish structure and a clear path for making key decisions that ease current restrictions on State Water Project deliveries. Also included is an $11 billion bond that provides benefits that will improve water reliability.

The Water Authority is executing a $3.65 billion Capital Improvement program, working with member agencies to develop local supplies, and has long-term conservation and transfer agreements with both the Imperial Irrigation District and Coachella and All-American canals.

The overall capacity as of May 2010 is 589k/AF with 56% of reservoir capacity being reached.