A water district 200 miles north of Kern County is fighting back against a local agency’s threat to terminate an agreement that has supplied a 600-home development for the past 24 years. Residents of the development, called Diablo Grande just west of Patterson, approved a 200% increase to their water rates, agreeing to pay $600 a month, in order to make payments on what the Kern County Water Agency (KCWA) has said is a $13 million debt.  But that only bought them six months of supplies as KCWA vowed to end its agreement with Western Hills Water District, which exclusively serves Diablo Grande, on Dec. 31. An attorney for Western Hills, however, said killing the deal “…is improper and not authorized under the Agreement,” according to a July 14 letter to KCWA. 

Other local water management news:

• Monterey Herald (Calif.): Regulators set to vote on Peninsula water supply and demand
• Sierra Sun (Truckee, Calif.): NTPUD receives $500,000 Bureau of Reclamation grant for Smart Water Meters
• KUSI (San Diego, Calif.): San Diego City Council to discuss water price increase