More misinformation from the Metropolitan Water District



In The Valley Roadrunner on March 15, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California told North County Residents, farmers, breweries and biotechnology companies that the source of 100 percent of the water flowing to them from MWD is from MWD’s Northern California supply source – which it notes is higher quality water – and “not a drop” of their supplies is coming from its far saltier Colorado River source.

This claim is false.

MWD knows it is false because it alone controls the blend of Colorado River and Northern California water supplies that flow into San Diego County from its system at any given time and provides a daily report on the blend to the San Diego County Water Authority. MWD can, and does, change the blend of water daily.  The fact is, on no day so far this year has MWD supplied 100 percent Northern California water to San Diego County.  In fact, on 27 days this year, it provided 100-percent Colorado River water and zero-percent Northern California water.  To see the actual blend of Northern California and Colorado River water MWD has delivered daily this year, go to www.MWDFacts.com/water-blend.

Because of the near-record precipitation and snowpack in Northern California, MWD is moving to maximize deliveries of Northern California water to its member agencies and has notified the Water Authority that it is in the process of changing the blend of water to the Water Authority from 100-percent Colorado River water to 100-percent Northern California supplies.  However, this transition will take weeks, if not months, to achieve.  And, how long that lasts will be up to MWD.  But, if history is any indication, it won’t last for long.  Over the past 30 years, MWD has provided a 50 percent or higher blend of Northern California water to the Water Authority in only two years.  Over that 30-year span, MWD has sent an average of only 27 percent Northern California water into San Diego County annually.  (See www.MWDFacts.com/water-blend)

In MWD’s commentary, it notes – correctly – that the state law that governs MWD requires it to provide a 50-50 blend its two sources of water supply – Colorado River and Northern California. That law makes good sense, as ratepayers should benefit equally from their investments in obtaining the higher quality Northern California water supplies.  Unfortunately, like its claim in the Valley Roadrunner, MWD has not lived up to its obligation to provide a 50-50 blend of Northern California water to us here in San Diego County.

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Mark Muir is chairman of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors.

*Note: Opinions expressed by columnists and letter writers are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the newspaper.

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