San Diego County Water Authority, Burbank Sign New Water Supply Agreement

SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY NEWS RELEASE
San Diego County Water Authority: Jordan Beane | (858) 221-3975 | [email protected]
City of Burbank: Armand Canyon | (818) 238-3548 | [email protected]

Water Authority, Burbank Sign New Water Supply Agreement
Long-term partnership strengthens Burbank's water reliability, generates new revenue for San Diego County

SAN DIEGO (August 27, 2026) - The San Diego County Water Authority and the City of Burbank have reached a new long-term water supply agreement - the third regional partnership announced by the Water Authority in 2026. This is another win for innovative cooperation that shows the strategic importance of regional water planning in a rapidly changing climate.

The agreement allows Burbank to purchase up to 5,000 acre-feet annually through 2047 creating greater water supply reliability for the city in the face of growing water scarcity across the West. Meanwhile, San Diego County ratepayers will benefit from additional revenues to help offset the cost of supply reliability investments made over the past 30 years.

With a population of 104,000, Burbank is booming. It is billed as the "Media Capital of the World" with more than 1,000 entertainment companies and a century-long history of innovation in everything from aviation to animation - and now it's on the cutting edge of water supply management.

Burbank has no naturally occurring water rights; the City is 100% dependent on water imported by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California that comes from outside the region via the State Water Project and the Colorado River Aqueduct. The increasingly variable frequency and intensity of precipitation due to climate change requires creative approaches to managing water supplies.

"This agreement will diversify Burbank's water portfolio while helping us meet future demand as our population and business community grow," said Richard Wilson, Assistant General Manager of Water. "Regional water exchange agreements like this one will be critical not only for Burbank but for all Southern California water agencies to ensure long-term reliability and supply."

For San Diego County, the agreement is expected to generate $15 million in revenues during the first five years, helping reduce costs that would otherwise be borne by Water Authority and its member agencies. The agencies will share water using existing infrastructure, meaning that no new pipelines will be built - an approach that saves both time and money.

"For the third time this year, the Water Authority found a way to help partners in Southern California lock in the water reliability they're looking for in a way that benefits working families across San Diego County," said Water Authority Board Chair Nick Serrano. "This is another 'win-win' that shows the kind of innovative leadership we need to manage water in a way that positively impacts everyone."

The Water Authority signed two water supply agreements in the spring with water agencies in Riverside County, followed by a Memorandum of Understanding with the federal government and other parties to explore transferring locally produced desalinated seawater to Colorado River Basin partners in other states.

The Water Authority's ability to make deals like these is supported by the recently completed Urban Water Management Plan, which confirms that the San Diego region has sufficient water supplies to meet projected demands at least through 2050 under normal, single-dry year, and multiple-dry year conditions.

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About San Diego County Water Authority
The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $267 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 22 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.