“The future of the Bay-Delta is important to all Californians, as is the strategy that the state adopts to address the Bay-Delta’s many costly and complex environmental and water supply challenges. The Water Authority will review the new set of California WaterFix documents and likely provide formal comments in keeping with our longstanding efforts to promote viable and cost-effective solutions in the Bay-Delta.
Category Archives: Colorado River
Final Ruling: Water Authority Wins Landmark Rate Litigation Against Metropolitan Water District
A final court ruling issued late Thursday afternoon says the San Diego County Water Authority has prevailed in the first phase of historic rate litigation against the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The statement of decision by San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Curtis E. A. Karnow affirmed his Feb. 25 tentative ruling in the Water Authority’s favor.
The litigation could save the San Diego region $2 billion in overcharges created by MWD’s illegal rates over 45 years.
Water Authority Sues Metropolitan Water District over Rates for 2015 and 2016
The San Diego County Water Authority on Friday filed its third legal challenge against rates set by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, alleging that MWD’s rates for 2015 and 2016 aren’t based on the costs of providing the services. If allowed to stand, MWD’s rates for those two years alone would overcharge San Diego County ratepayers by $92 million; over 45 years, the total overcharges by MWD could exceed $2 billion.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday rejected a legal challenge to the Secretary of the Interior’s approval of the Colorado River Water Delivery Agreement, one of more than 30 agreements that make up the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreements. Approved in 2003, the QSA serves as the framework for delivery of Colorado River water in California, including the historic water transfer agreement between the San Diego County Water Authority and the Imperial Irrigation District, known as IID.
Water Authority’s New Demonstration Garden Puts Sustainable Landscape Practices on Display
The San Diego County Water Authority today unveiled a new demonstration garden at its Kearny Mesa headquarters designed to show visitors how they can increase water efficiency and boost the environmental benefits of outdoor spaces through sustainable landscaping practices. In addition to employing well-known water-efficient practices such as using climate-appropriate plants and high-efficiency irrigation, the new Sustainable Landscaping Demonstration Garden has features designed to further enhance water efficiency and achieve additional environmental benefits such as reduced stormwater runoff. These features include the application of organic soil amendments and the use of rainwater capture elements. The approximately 3,000-square-foot garden provides a tangible […]
San Diego County Water Authority Wins Landmark Ruling in Rate Challenge Against Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
In a major victory for the San Diego County Water Authority and water ratepayers throughout San Diego County, San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Curtis E. A. Karnow today tentatively ruled that in setting rates for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California violated cost of service requirements of California’s Constitution, statutes and common law. Specifically, Judge Karnow’s tentative determination is that MWD’s rates violate:
Water Authority Marks Tenth Anniversary of Historic Colorado River Accord
Ten years after the historic water pact was signed at Hoover Dam, the San Diego County Water Authority is commemorating the 2003 Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA, for its role in enhancing the region’s economy and quality of life by improving long-term water supply reliability.
State Supreme Court Denies Review of Rate Case, Confirms Important Victories
The California Supreme Court today denied a petition by the San Diego County Water Authority to review an appellate court ruling in a case of statewide significance over rates set by the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. After winning significant victories in the trial court and the appellate court, the Water Authority petitioned the state Supreme Court in July on one single question: whether MWD may add State Water Project supply costs to the price it charges to transport the Water Authority’s independent supplies of Colorado River water through MWD’s aqueduct. The trial court ruled MWD could […]
Shrinking Colorado River Reservoirs Highlight Need for Water-Use Efficiency, Supply Diversification
An unprecedented reduction in reservoir releases on the Colorado River announced Friday by the Bureau of Reclamation won’t cut water supplies to agencies in San Diego County or the rest of the Southwest during the 2014 “water year,” but the move does underscore the importance of continued conservation and water-supply diversification across the region.
Water Authority Activates Drought Response Plan, Seeks Increased Voluntary Conservation
The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday unanimously called upon the region’s residents, businesses and institutions to increase water conservation efforts in response to severe drought conditions across California.