Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has
administered a discount program for farm water users in the past and decided
recently to discontinue it. The program provided farmers with a
discounted water rate in exchange for agreeing to have their supplies reduced
in times of drought. This was a good compromise as long as supplies were
generally reliable.
Water supply reliability has been changing and MWD
decided that it needed that reliability for its larger share of
customers. The program will end on January 1, 2013.
The San Diego County Water Authority and its members
serve numerous farm customers in their service area. Part of their water
supply comes from MWD. Farming is important to them and the Authority decided recently to continue the discount pricing
program. Farmers who enter into the voluntary program will still be subject
to supply cuts during times of drought.
The decision by the Authority to continue discount
pricing for water delivered to local farmers was a sound one and will have
benefits that stretch far beyond the farm. Like many other industries,
individual farming operations are often teetering on the edge of financial
survival. This important decision will help farms to remain in business
and, as a result, consumers can continue their confidence in having a local
supply of produce that is both healthy and safe.
Special thanks to Fallbrook Public Utilities District's Keith Lewinger and Gary
Arrant of the Valley Center Municipal Water District for working to
help keep the discount program going.
We've posted some videos in our Video area. Learn about California water and California Farmers. Don't miss the Alfalfa and Pizza Video.
California Water Facts Handout
Learn more about California Water through our Water Facts Handout. This easy to read PDF helps you understand just how much water California farmers are saving each month!
