A water district drawing down water from its own reservoir should not be controversial. It should be expected. That is, quite literally, what reservoirs are built for: to store water in wet times and use it wisely when conditions allow.
Yet in recent weeks, after one of the wettest Novembers in recent memory, Sweetwater Authority’s transfer of water from Loveland Reservoir to Sweetwater Reservoir has generated debate. That debate misses the larger point.
At a time when the cost of water is rising across San Diego County, responsibly using available local supplies is one way a public agency can keep water costs down.
It is also important to clear up a common source of confusion. Not all water districts are the same. Water rates vary widely across the county because each agency has a different mix of local, recycled and imported water, along with different infrastructure needs, treatment systems, energy costs and regulatory obligations.
Some districts rely far more heavily on expensive imported water than others. That difference shows up on monthly bills.
For the communities served by Sweetwater Authority — National City, West Chula Vista and Bonita — water affordability matters in a very real way. Many Sweetwater ratepayers are working families already stretched by housing, food and fuel costs. Our jurisdiction, for example, includes National City, where the median household income is just $64,248 — much lower than the county median of $102,000.
Having a local supply of water allows us to buy less of the expensive imported water provided by the San Diego County Water Authority.
While we appreciate having the imported water available, we will never choose to pay more if there’s an alternative.
That is why the ongoing Loveland transfer, which began Nov. 18 and concludes Dec. 10, is so important. We expect to capture between 7,000 and 8,000 acre-feet of locally stored water during the transfer.
At today’s SDCWA raw water rate of $1,496 per acre-foot, that translates into $10.4 million to $12 million in avoided imported-water purchases — a substantial amount of savings.
As we draw down water, we have become accustomed to criticism — not from our customers in South County — but from people in East County who live near Loveland and who experience the reservoir primarily as a recreational destination. We have listened to their concerns, and Sweetwater has long gone beyond its core responsibility by voluntarily supporting recreation through free parking at Loveland and free weekend fishing at Sweetwater Reservoir. Those amenities reflect our goodwill, but it’s still a reservoir.
The drawdown from Loveland is not an emergency measure. It is the careful, planned use of a local resource exactly as it was designed to be used when it was built in 1945. This practice is also not new. Depending on rainfall, Sweetwater has conducted approximately one transfer per year over the last four years — each one carefully scheduled to avoid impacts to sensitive species, and in full compliance with environmental regulations.
Imported water has become significantly more expensive, so good stewardship means using our own water, whenever we responsibly can. And that is why we will continue using Loveland Reservoir for its intended purpose: to provide reliable, affordable water for the communities who depend on it. It is both necessary, and the right thing to do.
Manny Delgado is chair of the Sweetwater Authority governing board and lives in Chula Vista. Steve Castaneda is president of the South Bay Water Board of Directors and lives in Chula Vista.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
