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Metropolitan Water District CEO Calls for Increased Water Conservation Despite Recent Rains

The recent rains which drenched Southern California over the last several months were a very good thing, said Adel Hagekhalil, the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, as he addressed the Pasadena City Council Monday, but he added, “We can’t be victims to hydrology. We can’t be victims of climate change. What we need to do is prepare for it.”

California Agrees to Long-term Cuts of Colorado River Water

Bracing for an ever-growing gap between supply and demand of Colorado River water, three Southwestern states today unveiled an agreement that would cut California’s supply by about 10% in most years.

California Agrees to Long-Term Cuts of Colorado River Water

Bracing for an ever-growing gap between supply and demand of Colorado River water, three Southwestern states today unveiled an agreement that would cut California’s portion by about 10% in most years.

Plant A Tree, Get $100 Under New MWD Program Aimed at Expanding SoCal’s Tree Canopy

With many areas of Southern California starved for shade, the region’s largest water supplier has launched a rebate program offering residents and businesses up to $500 as an incentive to plant trees.

Metropolitan Water District Reports Record Level Water Stored, Lowest Water Revenue in Decades

Metropolitan Water District representative Cynthia Kurtz reported that the agency has 3.4 million acre-feet of water in storage, enough to meet the future demand of its customers regardless of the weather.

California Prepares to Transform Sewage Into Pure Drinking Water Under New Rules

California is set to adopt regulations that will allow for sewage to be extensively treated, transformed into pure drinking water and delivered directly to people’s taps.

The regulations are expected to be approved Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board, enabling water suppliers to begin building advanced treatment plants that will turn wastewater into a source of clean drinking water.

Local Water Districts Tap Into New Sources of Supply

Millions of Southern Californians who were required to dramatically reduce their water use last year will have increased access to water under two projects recently announced by the Metropolitan Water District.

Metropolitan Water District Forges Partnerships to Secure Colorado River Water in Lake Mead

In a pivotal move addressing California’s water conservation goals and reinforcing partnerships in the face of the ongoing Colorado River drought, the Metropolitan Water District is seeking authorization for its General Manager to establish agreements with the Coachella Valley Water District, Imperial Irrigation District, and San Diego County Water Authority. These agreements aim to facilitate the addition of water to Lake Mead under the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program for the year 2023.

Oceanside City Council Approves 12% Water Rate Increase Over Next Two Years

Oceanside residents will soon see a double-digit increase over the next two years after two years of no increase to their rates at all.

“Anytime we see something like this come forward, especially when cost-of-living generally is going up across-the-board and people are really struggling to make ends meet, this is considered very heavily,” Councilmember Eric Joyce said.

Councilmembers unanimously approved the new rates Wednesday.

Officials recognizing the Quantification Settlement Agreement 20th Anniversary (L to R): Jim Barrett, Coachella Valley Water District GM, Miguel Luna, Chair of the Legal and Claims Committee with the MWD Board, State Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-80), Water Authority GM Dan Denham, Colorado River Board of California Vice Chair and Water Authority board member Jim Madaffer, Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz, Jamie Asbury, IID GM, MWD General Manager Adel Hagekhalil, IID GM Alex Cardenas. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Milestone Water Agreement Marks 20th Anniversary

San Diego County and Southern California water industry leaders commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), cited as a model of collaboration, relationship building, and voluntary conservation efforts among Southern California’s water agencies.

The QSA is a historic set of water agreements enabling California to live within its Colorado River apportionment, helping provide reliable water supplies for all users. Speakers at the commemoration event highlighted how the QSA continues to meet its goals while protecting agriculture and addressing the environment.

Learn more about the significance of the historic QSA in this video presentation.

QSA Partnership Called ‘Game Changer’

San Diego County Water Authority (Water Authority) Board Chair Mel Katz described the positive change in water management ushered in by the QSA as “a set of more than two dozen agreements that represent the dawn of a new era in water management in San Diego County and the Southwest – an era of water efficiency and supply reliability despite climate extremes.” Katz recognized the conservation efforts of the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and Imperial Valley farmers.

San Diego County Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz speaks at the Quantification Settlement Agreement 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority water agreement

San Diego County Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz speaks at the Quantification Settlement Agreement 20th Anniversary celebration. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

IID Board President Alex Cardenas reported Imperial County agriculture has conserved 7.5 million acre-feet over the 20 years of the agreement, while still enabling agriculture to succeed. The Valley’s agricultural economy has grown from $1.8 billion in 2003 to $2.6 billion in 2023. according to the latest crop reports.

Water Authority General Manager Dan Denham said the Water Authority, IID, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), and the Coachella Valley Water District continue to work together to ensure flexibility in how the river is managed and the needs of each agency are met. “We are getting to a place where we can be creative and do things differently.”

MWD General Manager Adel Hagekhalil called the QSA a great success and a great lesson. “We all came together. It was tough, but it was important.”

California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot congratulated the QSA partners on their achievement via a video message, calling it a “game changer” that remains as important today as it was 20 years ago. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla also offered his congratulations via a video message, crediting the leadership of all partners for their efforts to sustain the QSA.

Invited guests listen to water industry leaders and elected officials recognize the 20th anniversary of the Quantification Settlement Agreement. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority water agreement

Invited guests listen to water industry leaders and elected officials recognize the 20th anniversary of the Quantification Settlement Agreement. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego Assemblyman David Alvarez told those gathered it was important to celebrate what was accomplished through the QSA. “The significance to me of the QSA is the listening that occurred,” he said, noting that the QSA brought agencies together to listen to each other as partners to create a set of mutually beneficial agreements.

Colorado River Board of California Vice Chair and Water Authority board member Jim Madaffer said the QSA provides a model of flexible river management, calling it a lesson “that we are so much better when working together than separately.”

Looking toward the challenges ahead on the river, water industry leaders noted the QSA must be a part of critical water discussions as agencies seek collaborative solutions to ensure the Colorado River can continue to be a reliable water source well into the future.