Water Shortage Contingency Plan-WSCP-drought-DesalinationTrained professionals are needed to operator facilities such as the Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant which is the largest, most technologically-advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant in the nation. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

WaterSmart: Weathering Dry Times in San Diego County

Stories by national and regional media outlets highlighted the investments by the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to create a plentiful water supply for the region, helping to weather dry times like the current drought.

The New York Times, Spectrum News 1, The Wall Street Journal and Wired Magazine are among several news organizations that have reported on the region’s water supply projects, current and future, that ensure the 3.3 million residents of San Diego County won’t be left high and dry during times of drought. The news stories also recognize the successful efforts by the region’s residents to significantly reduce water-wasting practices by embracing a “conservation ethic” and be WaterSmartSD.

Drought emergency extended

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Oct. 19 extension of the statewide drought emergency to all counties in California, the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the agency’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. That plan includes a call for increased voluntary conservation by San Diego residents. CBS 8 Reporter Heather Hope reported on the Board action and tips for how people can reduce water use.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on October 30. The Sweetwater Authority the City of San Diego, and the City of Oceanside are three of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)