Tag Archive for: KUSI

Local Media Turn To Water Authority at Start of Dry Year

As San Diego enters the driest start to the water year since record keeping began in 1860, the San Diego County Water Authority has the reliable water supplies needed by the region for 2025 and beyond.

“We’ve been preparing for over three decades to have reliable water supplies, whether we’re in a drought or whether we have a wet year,” Water Authority Senior Water Resource Specialist Efren Lopez told CBS 8. “We have a lot of emergency storage in case there’s a disruption to our system.”

With coverage from CBS, KPBS and KUSI/Fox 5, the Water Authority has been informing and updating the public at every available opportunity.

The City of San Diego recorded only 0.14 inches of rain since Oct. 1, when typically it would have received between three and four inches.

While the lack of rain negatively impacts San Diego County’s flora and fauna — including increasing fire risk during the Santa Ana windstorms — the San Diego region doesn’t depend on local rainfall to supply the water that powers our economy and sustains our quality of life. Instead, the region uses a combination of desalinated seawater, conserved water from the Colorado River, recycled water, and runoff from the Sierra.

“San Diegans don’t need to worry about any water restrictions or any conservation mandates — we have plenty of water,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, Northern California has been relatively wet. That means the state’s six major reservoirs are at 121% of their historical average levels at the beginning of 2025, slightly better than the same time last year. Additionally, the statewide snowpack is 115% of its historical average.

Precipitation over the next few months will be key to determining the state’s overall water supply for 2025. Regardless, the San Diego region has sufficient water for the foreseeable future.

City Council Considers Raising Price of Water in San Diego

In the coming year San Diegans may be made to pay up to 3% more for running water. Tuesday, Sept. 20 San Diego City Council voted on whether or not to move forward with rate increases.

A rate hike could be the second time in the last two years the price for water could go up.

Sycuan Reservation Water Agreement Commemorated

A historic water agreement was celebrated today on the grounds of the Sycuan Indian Reservation. While Sycuan’s new hotel is getting most of the public attention, a reliable water supply for the reservation is an even bigger achievement. Everyone involved in Monday morning’s commemoration of a water delivery agreement, reached last August between Sycuan and the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District, noted it was 10 years in the making.

San Diego Region Water Supply

With recent wet weather San Diego has been experiencing, you may wonder what effect it could have on our region’s water supply. Jeff Stephenson from the San Diego County Water Authority stopped by to give more of an outlook on San Diego’s water.

San Diego County Water Authority Releases ‘Brought To You By Water’

Water is the San Diego region’s most precious natural resource, but its role fueling our economy and quality of life is often taken for granted – until now. The Water Authority, its 24 member agencies, and partners from leading industries are gathering to launch the year-long Brought to You by Water program, which includes a targeted advertising campaign, promotional materials, social media, a photo contest and events around the region.