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When the San Diego County Water Authority filed its initial rate case lawsuit in 2010 against the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, we knew it would be a marathon. Seven years later, we passed another important marker in the long-running litigation when a June 21 ruling by the state Court of Appeal sided with the Water Authority and the San Diego region on several significant issues. The decision includes a few key takeaways: The Water Authority has a right to significantly more water from MWD than MWD had credited.

The battle over plans by a Los Angeles company to sell water pumped from aquifers underneath Mojave Desert conservation areas heated up again this week when state legislation was amended to require a new round of state reviews. The legislation’s new language, by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, would stop major pumping until state land and wildlife officials determined that groundwater extractions would not harm wildlife or cultural resources. The legislation is in response to the Cadiz desert water project that has been prioritized by the Trump administration. Cadiz officials called the legislation a flawed attempt to further delay the project.

As the worst drought in California’s recorded history fades from memory, and mandatory water conservation cutbacks become a thing of the past, California water agencies are left to grapple with the question: What do they do now? About 80 representatives of Inland Empire water agencies gathered at a symposium at the Chino Basin Water Conservation District (Chino Basin) headquarters in Montclair on June 29 to discuss that and many other topics, ranging from climate change to wastewater recycling to desalination.

 

Smart water meters, which make conservation easier for customers, will replace outdated meters for all San Diego water customers by early 2020, city officials say. A successful pilot program last year, during which 11,500 such meters were installed, has prompted the city to revamp another 85,000 meters so they can handle transmitters that will enable the new technology. Once those are fully upgraded, the city’s remaining 185,000 meters will also be revamped so smart meters can be installed during the next three years.

With great fanfare, Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced the planting of 500 new trees in San Diego’s Balboa Park last week. Meanwhile, pepper trees in Old Town, jacaranda and pine trees in Point Loma, and even more precious trees and plants in the birthplace of California—Presidio Park—are allowed to wither and die, or be cut down, due to “the drought.” And that is just a few of the public park areas dying from neglect for want of a little water. Even the admirable attempt by the county to create a downtown waterpark falls short—lots of water bursts–but, negligible trees.