San Diego's Efforts To Provide Its Citizens With Water

Supply Diversification
The Water Authority is executing a long-term strategy to enhance the reliability of our region’s water supply.This strategy includes diversification of the region’s water supply sources and major investments in regional infrastructure.This plan is already enhancing regional supply reliability.In 1991, the San Diego region was 95 percent reliant on supplies from MWD. Through developing new local and imported supplies and boosting conservation, in fiscal year2010 the San Diego region will have reduced its reliance on MWD supplies to 53 percent. The Water Authority is executing a $3.8 billion Capital Improvement Program to further improve regional water delivery and storage capacity. Major projects include raising San Vicente Dam in East County by 117 feet to provide up to 152,100 acre-feet of additional storage, and connecting Lake
Hodges to the region’s imported water distribution system. The Water Authority is working with local agencies to develop local supplies such as groundwater, recycled water, seawater desalination, and conservation. By 2020, local water supplies are projected to meet 40 percent of the region’s water demands. The Water Authority also has a long-term (45 to 75 years) water conservation and transfer agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District. The deal, reached in 2003, will provide San Diego County with 70,000 acre-feet of highly reliable water in 2010 and increases to 200,000 acre-feet annually by 2021. The Water Authority also has a separate, 110-year agreement to receive water conserved by lining parts of the Coachella
and All-American canals. These projects provide 80,000 acre feet of water to the region annually.
Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California
29%
Conservation
11%
Seawater
Desalination
10%
Groundwater
6%
Imperial Irrigation District
Water Transfer
22%
Local
Surface
Water
7%
Canal Lining
Transfer
9%
Recycled
Water
6%
Water Supply Diversification by 2020
Metropolitan Water District
of Southern California 53%
Conservation 10%
Groundwater 2%
Imperial Irrigation District
Water Transfer 10%
Local Surface Water 3%
Canal Lining Transfer 16%
Recycled Water 4%
Water Supply Diversification in 2010*
Dry Year Transfer 2%
*Projected available supply.