Flush with water supplies amid dry conditions statewide, the San Diego County Water Authority‘s board on Thursday voted to approve the second long-term sale to customers in Riverside County.
Last month, the Water Authority signed 21-year deal with Western Municipal Water District in southwest Riverside County to supply 10,000 acre-feet of water — enough for 30,000 households — for $13 million annually.
Now the Water Authority has approved a similar deal with Eastern Municipal Water District of Southern California, which serves nearly 1 million residents in Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto and the Elsinore Valley.
Ironically, Eastern Municipal is the district that took over water delivery to Fallbrook and Rainbow after residents of those communities claimed rates were too high and voted in 2023 to leave the San Diego authority.
Dan Denham, general manager of the Water Authority, said that “detachment” effort has been superseded by a new willingness among Southern California water agencies to partner amid a changing climate and dry conditions.
“You may all recall a dispute we were once in. That has all changed,” said Dedham before Thursday’s vote.
“Regional cooperation is essential for a stable water future,” said Eastern Municipal Board President Stephen J. Corona. “This agreement highlights how collaboration can generate benefits well beyond our service boundaries.”
Thanks to three decades of investment in aqueduct improvements, increased dam capacity and desalination, the Water Authority projects ample supply through 2050, even if there are multiple dry years. Because of that, the authority is seeking to sell surplus water to minimize rate increases for San Diego County customers.
“The best part of these agreements is that they will benefit water customers,” said Stephen Whitburn, a San Diego city councilmember who represents the city on the authority board. “They will have a direct impact on water rates.”
“This is a total win for ratepayers,” said the board’s Vice Chair Frank Hilliker of the Lakeside Water District.
Each deal includes the up-front purchase of emergency supplies. Over the first five years, the Water Authority will receive $100 million from the Western Municipal deal and $74 Million from the Eastern Municipal agreement.
Board Chair Nick Serrano said selling water “allows us to maximize the value of the investments San Diego County residents made over decades, strengthen water reliability, and do so in a way that is mindful of affordability and public responsibility.”
Water purchased as part of the deals will be delivered through existing connections within the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California‘s system, so no new infrastructure is needed. Last year the Water Authority and Metropolitan Water settled a 15-year legal dispute, paving the way for water transfer agreements like the one signed Thursday.
“By working together and thinking beyond our own political boundaries, we can forge smart solutions to ensure all Southern California communities have reliable water despite the ongoing challenge of climate change,” said Metropolitan Water Vice Chair Michael Camacho, who was in San Diego for the board meeting.
Updated at 3:55 p.m., Thursday, April 9, 2026
City News Service contributed to this article.
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