San Diego Desalination Plant Boosts Water Supply, Helps Drought-Stricken States
San Diego’s water portfolio has positioned the region to do something rare for a major U.S. city: share its hard-won supply with neighbors still battling drought. Negotiations are underway for Arizona and Nevada to tap part of San Diego County’s Colorado River allocation in return for covering the operating costs of the massive Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
The proposal would leverage years of local investments in desalination, storage and water rights to create a regional safety net — one that could deliver water to roughly half a million people in neighboring states during dry spells while keeping San Diego’s system stable and affordable.
