Water Authority recovers $ 36 million in tariff dispute with Metropolitan Water

The Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District will pay damages totaling $ 36 million to the San Diego County Water Authority in a long-standing dispute over water transportation costs.

The decision by Metropolitan Water’s board of directors followed a California Court of Appeal ruling upholding earlier rulings in San Diego’s favor.

The latest payment will bring the San Diego Authority’s cash recovery on behalf of local taxpayers to over $ 80 million. Compensation for attorney fees is also possible, potentially bringing the total to $ 94 million.

Water Authority board chairman Gary Croucher called Metropolitan Water’s move “an important step towards a more collaborative future” between the two agencies.

“I also want to recognize the collaboration with our peers at MWD over the past few months, working together on the challenges we face, including the severe droughts in California and how to maintain an affordable and reliable water supply for all. our collective member agencies. and taxpayers, ”added Croucher.

The dispute concerned charges collected by Metropolitan Water between 2010 and 2017 for transporting water and maintaining the California aqueduct from the Colorado River.

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