Media Roundup: End of Litigation

The San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) and the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) reached a landmark settlement ending litigation that dates back to 2003—marking the beginning of a new era of collaboration between the water agencies. 

The agreement was signed by leaders from both agencies outside of SDCWA’s headquarters in Kearny Mesa. The settlement dismisses all pending appeals, maintaining earlier judicial decisions on various matters. It includes provisions to reduce the potential for future litigation, improve certainty in budgeting, and increase flexibility in efficiently managing water supplies.  

Through media outlets including the San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, KPBS, CBS 8, and Voice of San Diego, residents across Southern California got a full recap of this momentous occasion. 

KPBS captured Water Authority Board Chair Nick Serrano’s thoughts on the significance of the agreement: “Ratepayers and water users across Southern California are the winners in this settlement. It provides a new revenue opportunity for San Diego, a new water supply opportunity for other communities, and greater budget certainty for the entire region.” 

As the Los Angeles Times reported, Serrano added that “by working together in this way, the agencies will have greater flexibility to meet future challenges together, whether related to drought, infrastructure investment or efforts to address chronic shortages along the Colorado River.” 

For nearly 15 years litigation strained collaboration had limited the region’s ability to move water efficiently throughout Southern California and maintain predictable water rates for residents.  

The fixed rate established in the settlement offers price stability for the region, helping to shield ratepayers from unpredictable and potentially steep increases in water costs. 

As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune reported, SDCWA General Manager Dan Denham emphasized the importance of price stability: “Getting to a point where we don’t have to raise rates by double digits consistently, getting to something that’s lower and more predictable, perhaps at the rate of inflation, I think is what we strive for.” 

The agreement opens the door for San Diego to potentially sell surplus water to other regions or states – a win for regional ratepayers.

This settlement represents a meaningful turning point in the relationship between SDCWA and MWD—it establishes a foundation for long-term collaboration and shared problem-solving across the region. As CBS 8 covered, Metropolitan Board Chair Adán Ortega Jr. stated: “For far too long, this legal battle sat at the center of Metropolitan’s relationship with the Water Authority. That era of conflict has finally come to an end, and we can forge ahead, building a relationship based instead on cooperation and shared goals that will benefit the entire region.”