Metro Water District, Water Authority settle 15-year Colorado River dispute

A Colorado River aqueduct Courtesy of the San Diego County Water Authority The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the San Diego County Water Authority revealed Monday that they have settled a legal dispute spanning years over the exchange of Colorado River water The agreement ends the long-standing litigation over fluctuating prices Metropolitan charged to the Water Authority to deliver water that the Water Authority purchased from the Imperial Irrigation District in The Water Authority also obtains water from the All-American and Coachella canals As part of the settlement the Water Authority will pay a fixed price starting next year at per acre-foot to Metropolitan for water transfers though it will be adjusted annually for inflation The Water Authority will also be allowed to sell conserved water to Metropolitan or offer water to other agencies that are part of the MWD In a joint declaration leaders at both entities praised the conclusion of the years-long legal battle and stated the settlement also includes provisions to reduce the expected for future litigation improve certainty in budgeting and increase flexibility in efficiently managing water supplies Water Authority Board Chair Nick Serrano revealed Ratepayers and water users across Southern California are the winners in this settlement It provides a new revenue opportunity for San Diego a new water supply opportunity for other communities and greater budget certainty for the entire region Metropolitan Board Chair Ad n Ortega Jr reported For far too long this legal battle sat at the center of Metropolitan s relationship with the Water Authority That era of conflict has conclusively come to an end and we can forge ahead building a relationship based instead on cooperation and shared goals that will benefit the entire region