Water Transfer Partnerships

Rebalancing water reliability and affordability for San Diego County

The Water Authority has a long history of executing bold strategies – and today the agency is taking innovative actions that will strengthen regional water security, support strategic water resource management across Southern California, and deliver major cost savings for local families. The Water Authority’s current draft Urban Water Management Plan confirms that the agency’s diversified portfolio of water supplies, combined with a sustained commitment to water-use efficiency, will meet the region’s water needs through 2050, even during multiple dry years. That means the Water Authority can continue providing reliable water for San Diego County while making the most of long‑term investments through water transfer agreements. Revenues generated through those agreements help reduce wholesale water rate pressures for San Diego County customers.

What Are We Trying to Achieve?

Two major efforts are underway

Southern California Water Transfers and an Interstate Water Transfer Pilot Program

Southern California Water Transfer Partnerships

In early 2026, the Water Authority announced a pair of historic long-term regional water supply agreements with Western Municipal Water District and Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside County that strengthens water reliability and creates a paradigm shift in how water providers share resources across the region to benefit millions of customers. These partnerships will generate millions of dollars annually for San Diego County, helping offset costs associated with decades of water supply investments.

Western News Release Eastern News Release Eastern Water Transfer Agreement Western Water Transfer Agreement Frequently Asked Questions

Interstate Water Transfer Pilot Program

In February 2026, the Water Authority approved a landmark agreement to explore an interstate water transfer and exchange pilot program with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and agencies in Nevada and Arizona. The memorandum of understanding creates a pathway that could eventually allow the Water Authority to “move” water from the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad to areas in the drought-ravaged Colorado River Basin that need more water. If successfully developed, this would create the first program to transfer water across state lines within the basin.

Interstate News Release Frequently Asked Questions