San Diegans who feel like they pay a lot for the water they use are probably right; the typical water bill here will run $80 per month. Compare that with a national average of $40 a month, and you get a sense of exactly how much San Diego’s approach to managing water is costing its residents. Ry Rivard reports on how San Diegans pay nearly the highest water costs in California, and part of the reason is the local Water Authority’s ongoing beef with the regional supplier of water, Metropolitan Water District.
“Water Authority officials blame Metropolitan for failing to prepare for a drought in the early-1990s and screwing San Diego then and now,” Rivard reports. That has sent the Water Authority on the hunt for sources of water not controlled by Metropolitan, which they have found from sources like Imperial County and desalinated water from Carlsbad. But that independence from Metropolitan comes at a cost: We’re contracted to buy a lot of desalinated water, and it is the most expensive water option we have.
• Pricey water be damned, the Census Bureau reports San Diego is in the top 10 cities for recent population growth. (KPBS)
Labor Council Drama: San Diego Explained
Recently labor unions in San Diego have experienced an earthquake at the Labor Council, the organization that has traditionally organized unions into a political force to be reckoned with. After serious allegations were leveled against the head of the Labor Council, people began to take sides, and the united front of the unions began to crack. Scott Lewis and NBC 7’s Monica Dean unite themselves to run down what has been going on with local labor unions and the rift will impact the political power of the groups in our most recent San Diego Explained.
Faith Indeed
Our pals over at The Kept Faith podcast talk all things San Diego sports, and this time they sent our own Andrew Keatts and Scott Lewis to a Padres game to make some observations. The Padres have a promotion going right now that is riling fans, but nothing riles fans quite as well as being the worst team in baseball.
The Battle Over San Diego Unified’s Anti-Bullying Program
KPBS’s Megan Burks examines the complaints in the parent lawsuit against a San Diego Unified program that discourages bullying of Muslim students. The parents claim in the lawsuit that the program is unconstitutional, and that efforts to include Muslim cultures in social studies lessons amounts to the district favoring one religion over others. “It is essentially advocating for Muslim culture,” says one plaintiff. The program was created in partnership with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group the plaintiffs say they are concerned may have ties to terrorism, despite there being no evidence to support that concern.
• The Union-Tribune also captured many arguments from people with varying opinions about the district’s anti-bullying program.
Lightning Round
• Sea World San Diego is going full speed ahead with its plan to open its biggest, fastest roller coaster yet. (Union-Tribune)
• Armed with a new “Marine Coastal Management Plan,” La Jollans are pushing for action to address the growing sea lion (“pinniped”) population on their beach. (La Jolla Light)
• Escondido settled a lawsuit with the ACLU by agreeing to pay $550,000 over the city’s rejection of a shelter for undocumented children. Both sides are gloating over how the settlement means they won. (Union-Tribune)
• When asked if it’s cool for elected officials to assault pesky journalists (as apparently happens now), Rep. Duncan Hunter responded that it would be “inappropriate, unless the reporter deserved it.” (NBC 7)
• Those “Top Gun” sequel rumors were all true. I’m told some people are still holding out for “Fast Times at Ridgemont High 2,” though. (NBC 7)
Seth Hall is a local writer and technologist. You can email him at voice@s3th.com or follow him on Twitter: @loteck.