The Carlsbad City Council approved a plan last week to increase water, sewer, and recycled water rates by 49% during the next three years following recent cost-of-service studies. The council voted 4-1 to implement the new rate structure starting on July 1 with a 20% increase. Council member Melanie Burkholder cast the sole vote against the proposal.
As former San Diego County Water Authority Board Chairs, we heard and responded to demands from the region’s working families, civic and business leaders in the 1990s when our only major water source dried up.
Collectively, with our member agencies, we then spent three decades relentlessly securing new water supplies and investing in multi-billion-dollar upgrades that will last for generations. We remained steadfast in making the necessary and difficult decisions to support the entire San Diego region.
Carlsbad’s residential water and sewer rates will increase 20% on July 1 and a total of 49% over the next three years under a plan approved Tuesday by the City Council. Several residents opposed the rate hikes, but city staffers said they are needed to pass along a 14% increase in the price of water purchased from the San Diego County Water Authority and to cover inflation and the rising costs of maintenance and capital improvements.
The story: For more than 80 years, the San Diego County Water Authority and its 22 member agencies have worked together to deliver safe and reliable water to more than 3.3 million people. Despite climate challenges and a limited local water supply, strategic investments ensure that water continues flowing to support homes, businesses and the economy — all day, every day.
I have a special podcast interview scheduled next week with Daniel Denham, the general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority. It could not come at a better time. This week, San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said it may be time for the city to begin discussing leaving or dissolving the Water Authority.
What a difference three years of cold, wet weather makes for the State of California — and experts are breathing a sigh of relief, at least for now.
Scattered rain showers and even some mountain snow at high elevations are possible through early Friday, forecasters said. Isolated showers are expected along the San Diego County coast and in the valleys, according to the National Weather Service. Add wind to the forecast for local mountains, forecasters said. Strong westerly winds are expected through Friday afternoon.
When it comes to water, San Diego County faces a couple of problems — persistent drought and a deep water year deficit.
National Weather Service numbers show San Diego has only received about half of the rainfall it normally expects annually.
The Leucadia Wastewater District (LWD) has visited two Encinitas Union School District campuses this year to provide an engaging lesson on water conservation and how they play a vital role in protecting our oceans. Students at La Costa Heights and Capri got a behind-the-scenes look at how water is managed after it leaves their homes and LWD field service technicians showed off their line-cleaning truck and demonstrated how a closed-circuit TV robot inspects sewer lines across northern Encinitas and southern Carlsbad.
A coalition of top scientists loaded its last set of wastewater samples for analysis Sunday after receiving the final word from San Diego County late last week that the work should cease due to a nationwide clawback of federal public health funds.
