By Kris Polly

In our cover story this month, we interview Nick Serrano, who represents the City of San Diego on the board of the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) and serves as the chair of that body. We dig into a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between SDCWA, other southwestern utilities, and the Bureau of Reclamation that commits its signatories to exploring the possibility of interstate water transfers that would use existing infrastructure to reposition surplus supplies and relieve pressure on Colorado River water apportionments. We also discuss the MOU’s benefits for San Diego, other SDCWA initiatives, and the importance of collaboration.

Next, we present readers with a group article that explores how four California water agencies are approaching the new Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation, which creates a specific water use objective for each urban retail water supplier in the state. A representative of each agency outlines the steps it is taking, the operational changes that will have to be implemented, and what the end goal is expected to look like. As water regulations tighten around the Southwest, this article is likely to be of interest to readers well beyond the borders of the Golden State.

After that, we speak with Polly Barrowman of Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies, which pioneered flow imaging microscopy with its FlowCam technology. She explains how FlowCam can measure and analyze hundreds of thousands of particles in just a few minutes, providing same-day results to customers who are seeking to detect contamination or the presence of algae in their water.

Everyone is talking about AI—but is AI right for your water agency’s communications? To find out, we speak with two communications experts: Keith and Loren Yaskin, who own The Flip Side Communications and have partnered with water agencies for over a decade. In our conversation, we look into the pitfalls of AI usage—formulaic wording and images, the fabrication of facts and quotes, and risky activities—and where it can help—for instance, in research, brainstorming, and organizing information.

We wrap up with a conversation with Kim Hanson, the executive director of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT). She explains trenchless technology and its benefits and provides an overview of NASTT’s activities, events, and training programs.

With its high population, arid climate, and reliance on imported water, Southern California has by necessity become a leader in solutions to water scarcity. SDCWA and other water agencies across the region are working to reduce water use, find new sources, and make the best use of the surplus supplies that may exist. These pressures make the state a bellwether for what may come sooner or later to other locations across the West—and make it always worth paying attention to.

Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and the president and CEO of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He can be contacted at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.