The Uptown Car Wash in Hillcrest has been a haven for the budget shopper. The company offers a wash for less than $10, while a full detail is more pricey. However, the costs for those services likely are increasing.
That’s because the San Diego County Water Authority this week raised water rates by 14%. The higher water bills are expected to begin in January for the county’s 23 agencies, including the City of San Diego, which has raised water bills 16% the past few years.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-29 08:32:512024-07-29 08:32:51San Diego County Water Authority Raising Rates 14%, Costs Passed on to Consumers, Businesses
On July 25, the San Diego County Water Authority (CWA) Board of Directors voted for a 14% wholesale rate increase effective in 2025 for the wholesaler’s 23 local water agencies, to be followed by a 16.4% increase in 2026 plus 5.6% in 2027 (40.1 percent compounded).
The increase is part of an unstoppable trend in county water management caused by CWA’s high debts and declining water use, resulting in less revenue for paying those debts—over $2 billion worth.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-29 08:22:282024-07-29 08:40:53BLOG: How Can we Get Rid of the Carlsbad Ocean Desalination Plant?
Water rates in San Diego County won’t go up next year as sharply as some feared — but the county water authority’s efforts to keep rates low are becoming a significant threat to its credit rating.
A sharply divided water authority board voted Thursday to reduce next year’s rate increase from 18 percent to 14 percent, which eases pressure on local water agencies to raise rates on their customers.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-26 08:45:442024-07-26 08:45:44Wholesale Water Rates Won’t Rise as Sharply as Feared. Here’s Why That Could Still Cost Ratepayers.
San Diego’s main water seller OK’d a less-doomy price increase than the region was expecting, setting it at 14 percent on Thursday.
To make that work, the San Diego County Water Authority will have to find $2 million it can cut from its budget and delay some anti-earthquake-related upgrades to its biggest aqueducts. Those cuts save ratepayers from an anticipated 18 percent beginning January 1. But 14 percent is still the largest annual rate increase on the wholesale price of San Diego water since 2011, Water Authority records show.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-26 08:41:112024-07-26 08:42:43Water Rates Will Rise, But Hurt Less than Expected
Federal grant funds, a water transfer and budget cuts helped minimize wholesale water-rate increases for 2025 despite inflation and climate impacts that are pushing prices higher.
The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday approved a total increase of 14% in wholesale water rates for next year, while directing a one-year delay on a $7 million capital project and $2 million in additional cuts to the agency’s operating budget.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-26 08:37:552024-07-26 08:37:55Wholesale Water Rates to Rise, But Less Sharply, After Water Authority Board Vote
The state of Baja California will get 200 liters of water per second from the San Diego County Water Authority to help Tijuana residents during the hot summer months.
The water will be delivered through an international line that crosses the border from San Diego to Tijuana.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-26 08:35:402024-07-26 08:35:40Tijuana to Pay $5 Million to Import Water from California
Despite rising water rates, the city of Carlsbad has opted against prepaying fixed charges to the county’s wholesale water supplier in exchange for discounted rates in 2025.
In late May, the San Diego County Water Authority asked its 23 member agencies, including the Carlsbad Municipal Water District, to consider a prepayment option.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-10 08:45:312024-07-10 08:45:31Carlsbad Rejects Prepaying Fixed Charges to County Water Authority
San Diego County businesses and public agencies looking to replace ornamental grass with more sustainable landscaping are now eligible for increased rebates from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Funding for the program is provided by a $30 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources.
Landscape makeovers can still be lush and colorful while conserving water.
“We’ve made huge gains in water-use efficiency in Southern California, and businesses and public agencies have the opportunity to help us further that progress,” said Metropolitan Interim General Manager Deven Upadhyay.
“By switching to landscaping that is both beautiful and sustainable, they can help our region better adapt to our changing climate while cutting costs and demonstrating leadership in sustainability in their communities.”
The rebate also helps businesses and municipalities comply with new state legislation taking effect in 2027. Assembly Bill 1572 phases out the use of potable water to irrigate non-functional grass that is not used for recreation or other purposes.
“It’s a great opportunity to reduce the cost to eliminate non-functional turf before the state’s watering ban (AB1572) takes effect,” said Debby Dunn, senior water resources specialist at the San Diego County Water Authority.
For assistance, contact or 858-522-6745.
Additional help for San Diego County projects
The Panorama HOA in Lake San Marcos achieved beautiful results from its landscaping makeover project, which will conserve water and preserve the region’s watershed. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Projects in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County can receive an addition $1 per square foot for their turf removal projects
In an effort to help expand our region’s tree canopy and promote sustainability, a newly launched rebate provides an additional $100 per tree incorporated into projects. Both commercial and residential participants can receive this rebate for up to five trees per project.
Long-term water savings from conservation programs
Rebates are available to help property owners in unincorporated areas reduce expenses, providing significant savings on outdoor landscapes.
Metropolitan’s Turf Replacement Program has directly resulted in the removal of over 220 million square feet of grass. This saves enough water to serve about 68,000 households each year.
Conservation programs play an important role in the region’s water supply reliability. Today, about 2.5 million acre-feet of the record 3.4 million acre-feet Metropolitan holds in regional storage is water that has been conserved and stored instead of being consumed. That conserved water has been instrumental in staving off additional and more widespread calls for mandatory water cutbacks.
“We know the challenges ahead will require us to think differently and make the right investments in our infrastructure and water supplies,” said Metropolitan board chair Adán Ortega, Jr. “We appreciate the tremendous work the public has done to help us become more resilient to our extreme weather patterns and look forward to the continued progress that we can achieve as a region.”
For more information on Metropolitan’s conservation initiatives and rebate programs and to apply for a commercial, industrial, institutional or public agency rebate, visit bewaterwise.com/turf.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jamacha-Park-HOA-After_5926-1080.jpg7201073Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2024-07-03 12:53:052024-07-03 12:53:05Increased Rebates in 2024 for Large-Scale Landscape Makeover Projects
San Diego water rates will go up by 5.2%. This increase, approved by the City Council last September, includes a 1.8% charge from the San Diego County Water Authority to cover higher costs of imported water and other services.
The rate hike will help fund essential upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure, such as replacing old pipelines and supporting projects like Pure Water San Diego, which aims to ensure a reliable water supply.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kylie Capuanohttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKylie Capuano2024-07-02 08:16:022024-07-02 08:16:02San Diego Water Rates to Increase Monday
After hours of debate, San Diego’s water importer (because the region has to buy most of its water from outside the county) decided to raise rates just a smidgen – and put off the doom-iest part of its proposed water price spike until next month.
Why? Well, a lot of local water district representatives (there are 33) weren’t comfortable with how the city of San Diego (the region’s biggest and most powerful water buyer) wanted to try and stave off bigger rate increases. And the city, which has the power to ram through anything it wants, hit the pause button instead.
