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San Diego County Water Authority briefs subcommittee on Colorado River reliance and low‑income water assistance bills
Summary
The San Diego County Water Authority updated the Carlsbad legislative subcommittee on Colorado River negotiations, the region's water portfolio, and state proposals for low‑income water rate assistance and dam safety funding.
The Carlsbad City Council legislative subcommittee received an update from the San Diego County Water Authority on federal and state priorities affecting regional water supply reliability, affordability and infrastructure.
Megan Quarles, legislative manager for the San Diego County Water Authority, told the subcommittee the agency is closely monitoring negotiations over Colorado River allocations and potential long‑term transfers, as well as state proposals for low‑income water rate assistance and dam safety funding. “We were back in the nineties, we were at about 95% dependent on Metropolitan Water District … And now we're about 5% dependent on Metropolitan,” Quarles said, describing a long‑term shift in the region’s water portfolio.
Quarles said the Water Authority now receives a substantial portion of its supplies through the Imperial Irrigation District conserved‑water agreements and estimated about 65% of the agency’s water now comes from Colorado River sources via those arrangements, with roughly 10% from the Carlsbad desalination plant. She said local agencies are pursuing additional transfers, and that regulatory and funding constraints would affect any inter‑state transfers.
On affordability, Quarles said the Water Authority continues to track proposals for low‑income water rate assistance, naming AB 532 (a CMUA proposal that would authorize agencies to create programs but includes no dedicated funding) and SB 350 (Sen. Durazo), which would establish a statewide low‑income water rate assistance program with an identified funding source. She described SB 350 as controversial in the water industry because of administrative and funding questions; the bill’s sponsors plan a two‑year process to refine program design and identify funding.
Quarles also discussed dam safety and Proposition 4 funding, saying member agencies have a list of dams that need rehabilitation and that the Water Authority is advocating for repair and rehabilitation funding rather than removal funding. She said AB 269, which would have reallocated some rehab funds for removals, was pulled by its author after opposition.
Council members asked for further detail on the Water Authority’s changing supply portfolio and for charts showing historical dependence on Metropolitan Water District; Quarles offered to share visuals and noted that local “pure water” (potable reuse) projects are at different stages in neighboring jurisdictions.
The subcommittee received the presentation; no formal action was taken.
Ending: The subcommittee requested the Water Authority and city staff continue to brief the committee as Colorado River negotiations and state affordability proposals evolve.
