Water rates across San Diego County will soon go up after the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) adopted a $1.58 billion budget and a 3.7 percent rate hike during a public hearing Thursday. On May 18, the Water Authority announced it would push for the rate hike for 2018 to its 24 member agencies for both treated and untreated water. The budget for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019 was presented to the Water Authority’s board on May 22, along with the proposal for a rate hike.