WEEKLY NEWS

Water Talk

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Good afternoon,
San Diego County leaders.

Ensuring water reliability for everyone in our region requires us to think creatively and act collaboratively. Last week the Water Authority leaders were in Washington, D.C., to share our vision for innovative solutions to climate-induced challenges here in our region and on the Colorado River.

It was such an honor to meet with our congressional delegation, federal agencies, and the White House to advocate for infrastructure needs in the San Diego region that will ensure every home and business continues to have access to safe, clean water. I have to say, this was one of the most productive trips to D.C. we’ve had to date, in large part due to the efforts of the dedicated Water Authority Board members who joined me: Board Vice Chair Nick Serrano (City of San Diego), Board Secretary Frank Hilliker (Lakeside Water District), Legislative and Public Outreach Committee Chair Jerry Butkiewicz (City of San Diego), Colorado River Board of California Vice Chair Jim Madaffer (City of San Diego), and Metropolitan Water District Delegate Marty Miller (Vista Irrigation District).

We met with White House staff to talk about the Colorado River and San Diego County’s investments in the water supply system. It’s so important to share the innovative thinking that went into our historic water conservation-and-transfer deal on the Colorado, because that agreement provides a blueprint for other regions aiming to become more resilient to a hotter and drier climate in the Southwest.

On a similar note, we had the opportunity to thank California Sen. Alex Padilla for his recent commentary in The San Diego Union-Tribune highlighting the work San Diego County has done to help ensure a reliable water supply on the Colorado River. And our team thanked U.S. Rep. Mike Levin for his continued support of water reliability and desalination in San Diego County, and expressed our thanks to him and U.S. Rep. Scott Peters for their joint statement backing California’s proposed Colorado River Plan.

We met with FEMA to advocate for more funding for dam safety, which has become a major issue in our region and around the country due to declining federal investment in water infrastructure in recent decades.

We were also able to meet with the Department of Agriculture to discuss the Farm Bill and advocate for funding for agriculture within San Diego County.

Last but certainly not least, we discussed water affordability and the importance of federal infrastructure funding for projects in San Diego County with U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas.

It was an action-packed week, but one I feel good about. I left D.C. with a renewed sense of energy about the important work we’re doing at the Water Authority. I know that for those of us who manage water in the Southwest, our work will never be done. But I also know that by working together, and by thinking about challenges in new ways, we can create the sustainable future we want.


Sandra L. Kerl
General Manager
San Diego County Water Authority

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