Why San Diego Has Plenty Of Water Despite California's Devastating Drought

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California is going through one of the worst droughts in the state's history.

In many parts of the state, reservoirs are hitting some of their lowest recorded levels.

However, San Diego County's water supply has stayed mostly the same.

According to a new report from the New York Times, the San Diego County Water Authority estimates that it would have sustainable water supplies through 2045 even if these dry conditions persist for years.

The county's key water storage site San Vicente Reservoir is about as full as usual, which is in stark contrast to the rest of the state's reservoirs.

So how did San Diego manage to save so much water?

In 1996 the San Diego County Water Authority made an important agreement to buy water from farmers in the Imperial Valley. Over the years, the agency invested in several expensive infrastructure projects aimed at establishing diverse sources of water.

In addition to those projects, the Times reports that San Diego was one of the first cities in the state to introduce water use restrictions that are now widely known to Southern California citizens.

Residents are restricted from water their yard during much of the day, restaurants can't serve water unless customers specifically request it, and more.

These kinds of restrictions and conservation efforts have led per capita water use across the county to fall by half over the last three decades.

To read the full report by Jill Cowan, click here.


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