… Escondido and surrounding environs are the center of the San Diego region’s avocado industry. The cities and towns of the avocado belt, especially Escondido, also have some of the priciest water in San Diego County, a region notorious for its high water costs. For growers of a water-intensive crop like avocados, those high costs are exceptionally burdensome. On average, 60% of operating costs for Escondido avocado groves go just to water, according to a 2024 report from the California Avocado Commission. … Escondido water officials have no plans to secede. But like the districts that did, they also blame their high costs on the county water authority.

Other agricultural water news:

• SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): San Joaquin Valley farmers will have water certainty –  if they can make it through the next few years, panelists say
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Is most of Colorado’s water used for agriculture?