Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The Board certified the Environmental Impact Report for the Pure Water Southern California project, which will produce up to 150 million gallons per day of recycled water for approximately 500,000 homes. A public hearing was set for March 10, 2026, to consider proposed water rates for 2027-2028. An agricultural lease agreement for rice farming on District property was deferred.
The District delivered 47,132 acre-feet in January with a 69% delivery rate versus a 30% long-term January average, though the 2026 water year outlook remains highly uncertain with snow water content below average despite near-normal precipitation. County-collected assessments increased collections by about $1.9 million year-over-year and there are currently no delinquencies on first installment payments.
The Board voted 18-5 to proceed with a Proposition 26 regulatory fee pathway starting in FY 2026/27, aiming for first collections in late 2026. It directed staff to use a draft two-tier fee concept (Tier 1 at $1.50 per parcel plus $0.76/acre and draft Tier 2 ag rates of $2.78/$7.94 per cropped acre) and a draft $1.6 million annual budget for the next five years as the basis for the upcoming fee study and public outreach.
Staff presented feasibility studies on Salinas River diversion concepts to help address seawater intrusion, noting potentially usable volumes from several thousand to tens of thousands of acre-feet annually depending on diversion size, with major storage likely needed. A project concept was discussed to serve the coastal area between CSIP and Salinas. Staff said the April 30 DWR response will focus on the decision-making process, not final project selection.
The Board approved a July 1st deadline for mandatory well registration, with account lockouts for non-compliance among an estimated 2,000 wells. Water credit management options to prevent overdraft remain under legal review with no immediate action taken. Staff is developing management areas to allow more localized groundwater and subsidence management.
