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Recently a North County water district hosted Jeff Kightlinger the general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, an entity almost big enough to be a country in its own right, but whose boss is not above making presentations to the member agencies of the large supplier of much of the water we drink. In San Diego County, which has worked strenuously over the years to develop its own supply network, the water the Met sells doesn’t make up the lion’s share, but it’s still a vital share.

The Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District Wednesday hosted Jeff Kightlinger the general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, an entity almost big enough to be a country in its own right, but whose boss is not above making presentations to the member agencies of the large supplier of much of the water we drink. In San Diego County, which has worked strenuously over the years to develop its own supply network, the water the Met sells doesn’t make up the lion’s share, but it’s still a vital share.

It’s been 14 years since California officials first approved the Black Rock power plant, which would have tapped a powerful geothermal reservoir along the shore of the Salton Sea and generated enough climate-friendly electricity to power about 200,000 homes. But the long-planned geothermal plant in Imperial County was never built — and now its developer appears to be pulling the plug.

This afternoon starting at 2 p.m., MWD will hold a workshop to discuss the release of their financing plan and the projected cost to Los Angeles ratepayers. “Ratepayers will converge at today’s meeting today to protest this unfair rate and tax hike,” according to Brenna Norton of Food & Water Watch in a news advisory. The average L.A. customer would see their water bills rise from $200 to over $393 annually for up to 75 years, according to an independent analysis by EcoNorthwest.

Is your backyard a dirt lot? Do you have a front lawn but would like something more drought-tolerant? If you’re thinking of landscaping as a DIY project or with the help of professionals, check out the San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program before getting started. Even though this winter’s rain relieved California’s severe drought, saving water is still essential in our dry climate. Water-smart gardens will not only save money by yielding lower water bills, they will be easier to maintain.